Signs of Love
by karukaro
Summary: Kumiko and Reina never had a chance to become closer until they happened to start talking at a party. The two instantly click, and then something more than friendship starts to grow between them. Will they be able to figure things out and wind up together? Maybe, with the help of some friends. American-based high school AU.
1. Want To Be Close

Kumiko was definitely not a party person.

And yet, here she was, awkwardly making her way through the house of someone she didn't know, precariously balancing the contents of the drink in her hand. She was here thanks to her friend Natsuki—or, more accurately, Natsuki had forced her into giving her a ride here and coerced her into staying.

Natsuki's argument was now that Kumiko was a sophomore, she should try to mingle with more people outside of band (and maybe pick up some chicks in the process). Being the people-pleaser she was, Kumiko attempted to at least give the whole socializing-at-a-party thing a try. The only thing she had accomplished so far was trying the food.

It was only a couple of weeks into the school year and Kumiko was already feeling quite fatigued. Homework, band, overly enthusiastic friends… and now this party wasn't helping. She wandered down a hallway until she found a spare bedroom with a slightly open door. In an attempt to get some peace, she decided to slip into the room, hoping its usual occupant wouldn't mind.

However, someone else had the same idea. Sitting on the bed was none other than Reina Kousaka, looking bored and currently preoccupied with her phone.

The two girls were well-aware of each other's existences, having been in band together for a year now. There had been occasional music-related conversations in passing, but not yet an opportunity for them get to know each other better, since they were in different sections and didn't have any classes together as freshmen. Kumiko knew the other girl was quite smart, so she was probably in AP classes. Reina fit the profile of a typical overachiever both in academics and music, being a ridiculously talented trumpet player quickly rising in the ranks of the band.

Kumiko also couldn't deny that she had been low-key crushing on the girl for a while, but she couldn't help it. Reina was absolutely beautiful, and just her type. She had all the physical qualities Kumiko loved: light complexion, dark hair, pretty eyes, and a petite and very attractive figure. Reina always dressed nice too—the current outfit she had on reminded Kumiko of a Catholic school girl's uniform… which ironically led to impure thoughts as her eyes zoned in on the gap between Reina's plaid skirt and thigh high socks.

"Ack," was the first sound that escaped Kumiko's mouth.

Now noticing the other girl's presence, Reina looked up. "What?"

"Ahah, nothing. Just wasn't expecting someone in here," Kumiko tried to answer calmly, closing the door behind her. "How's it going?"

"Fine," Reina sighed. "I'm taking a break from the noise."

"Yeah, me too," Kumiko replied. As intimidated as she was to talk to such a pretty girl, this was her chance to have an actual conversation with the trumpeter. She may not have been the brightest student, but she wasn't stupid. Slowly making her way to the bed, she asked, "Mind if I join you?"

"Go ahead." Reina scooted over to give Kumiko room to sit down, which she did.

Kumiko took a slow sip of her soda to prevent her mouth from running, thinking of what she wanted to say. "Actually…" she started, "You're the last person I expected to see at a party like this."

"Why's that?"

Kumiko couldn't tell by her tone if she was offended or not, but kept going. "Ah… you just don't seem the type, is all. But I'm not either. I hate parties. Natsuki forced me to bring her here."

"I hate parties too, but Yuuko dragged me here, saying that it would be 'good' for me."

"That's what Natsuki told _me!_ I tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't have it."

"I can relate," Reina smiled. Kumiko internally cheered at the fact that she already made Reina smile at her, considering that her default expression was quite stoic. "Wait, if you drove here, why haven't you left?"

"Well, I had to eat," Kumiko shrugged. "Can't pass up free food, right?"

Reina nodded. "Of course."

"And if I left too early, Natsuki would never let me hear the end of it."

"It looks like we're both stuck."

"Seems that way," Kumiko grumbled. "There's gotta be something to do…"

There was a lull in the conversation. Reina looked back down at her phone and Kumiko started feeling more awkward as the silence lingered. Her eyes wandered around the room until they found an old and familiar game console sitting on the floor.

"Oh, sweet!" Kumiko broke the silence. "A Super Nintendo!" Reina looked back up to watch Kumiko excitedly make her way over to the system. "Do you think they'd mind if I turned it on?"

"I don't even know who lives here."

"Me neither." Kumiko then got what was possibly the best idea she's had in a long time. "You wanna play something?"

Playing a game definitely sounded more fun than mindlessly browsing Twitter, so Reina made her way down to the floor where Kumiko was sitting. The brunette gathered the assorted cartridges that had been strewn about on the floor, laying them out and inspecting what games there were.

"Let's see if there's any two-player games… Hmm… Oh! Here's Kirby's Dream Course. How about that?"

"I've never played it before," Reina said.

"It's like a golf game, but with Kirby. It's a lot of fun and not too hard to play."

"I see," Reina smiled, finding Kumiko's sudden enthusiasm infectious. "Okay, let's try it."

Kumiko turned the game on and handed Reina the second controller. While the demo screen played, she turned to her and joked, "I must warn you that I played this game a lot as a kid, so I'm practically a master."

Reina smirked. "Is that so? Then I should warn you that I'm very competitive."

Kumiko smirked back. "Oh, I know. You do keep fighting with the upperclassmen—ack. I didn't mean to say… Uh…"

Reina looked surprised for a second. "Wow," she said, quickly recovering. "So how do you play?"

Relieved that Reina wasn't mad about bringing up band drama, Kumiko explained the game's objective, "Basically, you hit Kirby around different courses, trying to hit enemies and collecting stars. Whoever gets the most stars wins."

After a bit of trial-and-error with the controls, they managed to get the hang of how to play, figuring things out as they went. Reina managed to win the first round (out of eight) by a small margin.

"What the heck!" Kumiko exclaimed. "I thought you never played this before."

"I guess I'm just a natural."

"Hm. More like beginner's luck. I'll get you next round."

"Bring it on."

It was only five minutes into the game and they had already started bantering between turns, even throwing in some friendly smack talk. This was the longest time the two girls had spent in one place together alone before, but it was a comfortable atmosphere, as if they had been friends for years.

Kumiko barely managed to squeeze out a win in round two, making the current overall star count very close. "Ha!" she laughed, looking overly smug. "Looks like my skills are coming back to me."

"You got lucky," Reina retorted.

"We'll see!"

Whether it was now bad luck or a lack of skill, Kumiko started having a difficult time with the next course. Her Kirby continuously kept being sent over the edge of the map, she was missing in general, and kept losing turns. Every time her Kirby met a terrible fate or she flubbed a shot, she screamed 'nooooo!' or made one of her typical strange noises, which made Reina laugh a little harder each time.

Kumiko was definitely losing this particular round, but she still felt like a winner for making Reina laugh. The girl usually looked so serious, so seeing her openly smiling and giggling was a whole new experience that Kumiko felt almost honored to witness. It was always great to make cute girls laugh (even if it was _at_ her and her sheer ineptitude at a game).

It was nearing the end of round four. Since their star count was very close, the deciding factor would be whoever made the final shot, but the hole spawned in a precarious spot on an incline at the edge of the map. Both of them were having trouble getting their shots just right, going back and forth between turns trying to finish the round.

"You're not gonna get this shot," Kumiko teased, trying to psych her out.

"Watch me get it," Reina taunted back. She missed. "Oops."

"Ha! Now watch this—ah, damnit."

"I've got it this time."

"Yeah, sure."

Reina missed again, just barely. "Aw, not again. This is tough."

"It's not that hard—"

"Says the one who also keeps missing."

"—cause check. This. Out. Got it!" Kumiko overshot it and her Kirby flew over the edge of the map again. "No! Auuugh!"

Reina laughed again. Before taking her turn, she looked at Kumiko and said, "You're really funny."

Kumiko felt like she could have ascended into the heavens right then and there. However, the moment was broken by Yuuko entering the room.

"I can hear you guys shouting from outside," Yuuko said, surprised. "What are you doing?"

"We're just playing a game," Reina answered matter-of-factly.

"Geez, Reina," the blonde lightly scolded. "I brought you here so you could have fun and mingle, not play video games."

"We are having fun, though," Kumiko spoke up.

"Whatever," Yuuko sighed before addressing her friend, "Anyway, I wanted to hang out here a couple more hours. Is that okay?"

"Actually…" Reina said as she placed her hand on Kumiko's arm. "Kumiko was going to drive me home."

Kumiko whipped her head around to look at her. "Huh?"

"You were just leaving, right?" Reina asked innocently.

"Uh…" Kumiko's capacity for thought was slightly impaired by the feeling of the other girl touching her, but she managed to make things click anyway. "Right! Yeah, we're gonna head out."

"After we finish this game," Reina clarified. "Because I'm winning."

"Well, okay," Yuuko relented. It clearly wasn't her own idea of fun at a party, but she didn't want to argue. Leaving the room, she called over her shoulder, "Bye, then! I'll text you later."

Reina bid her friend farewell before quickly focusing back on the game. "So where were we?"

"You were about to mess up your next shot," Kumiko replied, not missing a beat. "So I'm your ride home now?"

"Is that a problem?"

"Ah… not at all."

Natsuki could figure out her own way home. Maybe Yuuko could give her a lift.

* * *

Reina ended up utterly destroying Kumiko at Kirby's Dream Course, but the latter didn't mind one bit since Reina looked so pleased with herself. "I went easy on you," she had said, but of course Reina didn't believe her even if she was telling the truth (and she wasn't). Kumiko was about to take Reina home, but the latter suggested going a nearby late-night diner to talk more and get some milkshakes.

Kumiko pushed the fries she also ordered towards the other girl. "You want some?" she offered.

Reina smiled before grabbing one. "Thank you. You're still hungry?"

"Hey, I'm a growing girl."

"Hm. You are pretty tall," she commented.

"Nah, you're just short. Er—I mean…"

There it was again. "Ouch," Reina replied, not too offended (since it was true). A couple fries later, she said, "I suppose going to that party wasn't so bad, after all."

"Why's that?"

"I've been looking for an excuse to talk to you."

"Really?" Kumiko replied, wide-eyed and still chewing.

"Yes. You seem pretty popular. I've seen you talking with a lot of our bandmates often."

"Ah, not really," Kumiko waved her hand dismissively. There was also a slight flutter in her chest at the thought of Reina watching her. "They're all just in my section."

"Still, it's nice to get along with everyone in your section," Reina said almost somberly.

From where Kumiko was standing, it did seem like Yuuko currently was the only one Reina would refer to as a close friend in the band. Even then, she was also aware that the two trumpeters had started off on bad terms due to Reina's long-standing rivalry with a now-senior named Kaori, whom Yuuko greatly admired (sometimes a little too much, in her opinion). That drama—or a least the talks of it—calmed down after Reina and Yuuko had apparently made amends and started becoming friends, but there seemed to be a general tension that still lingered in that section.

"Yeah," Kumiko replied with a non-committal hum, unable to disagree. Her verbal filter failed her again as she asked, "So is it true that trumpet players have big egos?"

Again, Reina was taken back, but then smirked. "Wow. First you call me short, then ask me that. You really don't mince words, do you?"

Kumiko smiled sheepishly and nervously scratched the back of her head. "Ahaha… Sorry…"

"It's alright. I like it."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's refreshing."

Kumiko wasn't quite sure how to interpret that, but if Reina said she liked it, then she certainly wouldn't complain.

The two ended up chatting about various topics—their classes, the current happenings in the band, how they ended up playing their respective instruments, among other things. They hadn't realized how much time had passed until Reina's phone rang.

"Uh oh," she said, noticing the current time before answering. "Hello, mom?" Kumiko could hear concerned mutterings from the other end. "Yes, I'm alright," Reina replied apologetically. "I'm sorry, I lost track of time. I'm with a friend right now. She's driving me home, so I'll be there soon."

As Reina said bye to her mother, Kumiko also checked the time. "What the—? When did it get so late?"

"We should get going."

Most of the conversation on the way back consisted of directions, and they soon pulled up outside the Kousaka household. Kumiko learned that Reina didn't live too far away from her. The neighborhood she lived in was closer to their school, but also looked much nicer. The homes had matching mailboxes and well-manicured lawns and everything.

Before getting out, Reina turned to Kumiko to say, "Thank you again for the ride home."

"No problem."

Both girls tried to say something else, but ended up speaking at the same time.

"You first," Reina offered.

"No, go ahead," Kumiko said.

"I was going to say that we should hang out more often."

Kumiko grinned, thinking the exact same thing. She was now shaking with excitement and really hoped that it was well-hidden by the darkness. "Yeah!" she managed to say.

Reina smiled at her again before opening the car door. "Good night."

"Night!"

Kumiko watched her walk to the door to make sure she got in okay. Before entering the house, Reina turned and gave Kumiko a tiny wave goodbye. Kumiko wasn't sure if the other girl could see her, but she waved back anyway. The dark-haired beauty then disappeared into the warm light of her home.

Kumiko sat there for a moment, starting to process the night's events. She couldn't believe that she spent such a great evening with a cute girl who seemed to enjoy her company enough that she wanted to hang out _again_. This was the happiest she had felt in forever. She would've jumped up with glee if she wasn't currently strapped in, so she settled for quietly screaming into the steering wheel.

On the other hand, that meant that the crush she already had on Reina wouldn't be going away any time soon, but she didn't even care at that moment. Kumiko proceeded to crank up her music way too loud and drive home way too fast, fueled by pure joy.

* * *

a/n: When you have ideas and scenes already written for a bunch of unfinished one-shots, why not combine everything into one story that will span multiple chapters? Oh, and make it an AU too. Surely, this is a great idea that will not become its own big project in itself. Yes. Let's do this. I hope you enjoy it.

Feel free to follow me elsewhere — twitter: kcseabrook || twitch . tv/ kcseabrook || kcslider . tumblr . com


	2. Best Friends

Kumiko was also not a morning person.

And yet, she was the one who had to wake up earlier than Natsuki. Kumiko drummed her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, watching the front door of her best friend's house, waiting for it to open.

Kumiko had ended up becoming Natsuki's designated driver, due to the state of the latter's car being in constant disrepair. Said car was currently sitting in the driveway, beat-up and covered in mud with one of the tires missing, having flown off to places unknown during its last outing. Kumiko was curious about what had happened to it, but had never bothered to ask, but was thankful she wasn't in the vehicle at the time. Then again, Kumiko's car wasn't in much better shape either, since it was a double hand-me-down after her sister left for college, but at least she remembered to put gas in the thing and wash it, unlike someone else she knew.

Finally, Natsuki emerged from the house, looking like the classic picture of lesbianism she was. She was wearing her usual flannel over one of the three t-shirts she seemed to own, paired with tattered jeans. That girl really needed to go shopping for some new clothes, Kumiko thought as she observed her shuffling down the driveway in a tired stupor. It was if she had all the time in the world, but they didn't, since they were going to be late if they didn't get moving pronto. Kumiko thought about blowing the horn, if only to startle her friend awake.

Natsuki eventually made it in the car with a groan, throwing her book bag in the back seat with one hand, clutching her favorite coffee thermos in the other.

"Looks like someone's got a case of the Mondays," Kumiko busted out an old favorite line, knowing that it would piss her off.

It did. "Don't even start that shit with me," Natsuki warned, incapable of looking threatening in any way with her eyes still half-closed.

Kumiko snickered and put the car in drive. "Seatbelt," she reminded her sleepy friend as they started their journey to school.

It took about halfway to their destination and a caffeine boost for Natsuki's standard cognitive abilities to kick in. "Thanks for ditching me at that party, by the way," she said half-jokingly.

"Sorry," Kumiko half-heartedly apologized.

"Eh, it's alright. I figured you would. But I had to get a ride home from Yuuko, which was… ugh. That chick never stops talking," Natsuki grimaced, albeit a bit exaggerated. The two of them had a well-established combative relationship to each other. "Anyway, so you really didn't do anything there besides eat-and-run?"

"Not exactly." Kumiko proceeded to tell Natsuki about the events of that evening. The redhead listened attentively, nodding along. "And then I took her home," she finished.

"Oh my god, dude," Natsuki exclaimed, leaning towards Kumiko, dramatically gripping the armrest. "Did you end up getting laid?"

"What?! No!" Kumiko yelped indignantly. She wasn't that kind of girl! "Geez… We just talked."

"With Kousaka, huh?" Natsuki asked, looking contemplative, tapping a finger to her chin. "I'm surprised she was even at that party. Every time I see her at practice, she's always got this super-serious look on her face. Never really talks to anyone, either, besides Yuuko. Seems like a total ice queen."

"Yeah, she gives off that vibe, but she's actually really nice," Kumiko defended. "I liked talking with her a lot. She thinks I'm funny, too."

"Funny-looking, maybe," Natsuki retorted before taking notice of Kumiko's light blush and giddy smile. "Uh oh. I know that look. You're crushing on her, aren't you? You did say that she was hot, but…"

"Cause she is!" Kumiko blurted out before quickly recovering, "And it's _not_ a crush." She was determined not to admit it out loud to anyone.

"Yeah, sure," Natsuki smirked, clearly not believing her. "So are you gonna hang out with her again?"

"She said she wanted to, so yeah."

"Well, good luck, my friend." Natsuki clapped a hand down onto Kumiko's shoulder. "Just try not to fall for a girl who might be straight."

"No need to remind me."

Natsuki decided to bust out one of her own favorite lines, "Contain the gay."

"I'll try."

* * *

Kumiko was mindlessly fiddling on her phone waiting for 2nd period to start, which was home economics.

For some reason, the class was a prerequisite, but it had come with some upsides. So far it seemed like an easy A. The teacher was an older lady who was more content to ramble about her beloved husband and cats rather than assign a lot of work, often setting the time as a study hall so she could crochet. It was the perfect time to veg out.

"Is this seat taken?" a familiar voice asked Kumiko, breaking her out of her daze.

But more importantly, it was a class she shared with Reina.

"Nope," she responded, moving her backpack from the chair next to her. She had been saving the seat, hoping her new friend would take it. The setup for this classroom had two students per table, with unassigned seats. "How goes it?"

"Good. How are you?"

"I was fine earlier, but now I'm really sleepy," Kumiko groaned.

"I can tell," Reina teased. "Did you stay up too late?"

"Yeah, I got way too into this show I'm watching. One episode turned into two into three and the next thing I knew…"

"Hopefully you've learned your lesson."

"Probably not." Kumiko shrugged as if to say 'eh, what can you do?'

Their conversation was cut short by their teacher asking for quiet, ready to regale her students whatever stories she had for them today. Over the next 50 minutes, Kumiko was practically lulled into a catatonic state until she unexpectedly heard the words 'project' and 'partner' come out of their teacher's mouth. Snapping up, she looked over at Reina, who gave a little nod of agreement to the non-verbal request of pairing up.

After that announcement, the bell rang.

"So what is this project about? I wasn't really listening," Kumiko said sheepishly.

"I could tell," Reina teased again. "We have to make a dessert to bring in next Monday. Ms. Hiiragi said we can either do it by ourselves or with a partner." She paused, a bit unsure. "It should be easier if we do it together, right?"

"Sounds good to me." Kumiko gave her a thumbs up, thankful for this new opportunity.

"I'll see you at practice, then."

"Er—hold on." Kumiko stopped the other girl, trying to contain her eagerness before asking, "Uh, if you wanted to… you have the same lunch period as me, right? You should come eat lunch with me and my friends. They wouldn't mind. But if not, it's fine!"

Reina genuinely smiled in response. "I might take you up on that."

* * *

It was now lunchtime and Reina was scanning the cafeteria, looking for a familiar head of brown hair in the sea of hungry students. The moment Kumiko extended the invite to eat with her, she knew she was indeed going to take the offer.

Reina didn't necessarily mind eating with Yuuko and some other members of their section, as she usually did. Mizore and Nozomi, who also joined them, were quite nice, but the often lovey-dovey atmosphere between the couple was almost too much to handle at times. A little change of pace wouldn't hurt.

She then spotted her target. "Yuuko, hold on," she spoke up, trailing behind her friend.

"What's up?"

Reina gripped the strap of her lunch box a little tighter. "Do you mind if I eat with someone else?"

Yuuko raised an eyebrow, obviously curious. It was no secret to her how much of a loner Reina was. "Who?"

"Kumiko… and her friends," Reina quickly added that last part. "She invited me to eat with them."

Yuuko smiled, recalling when she had found the two having fun playing a game together on Saturday. "Sure, go ahead. I'll see you later."

Reina could feel Yuuko's inquisitive stare on her back as she made her way over. For some reason, she started feeling jittery the closer she got to where Kumiko and her friends were sitting, but pushed through it. "Mind if I join you?" she asked when she arrived at their table, raising a nervous hand to lightly touch her hair.

"Hey!" Kumiko brightly smiled at her, easing her worries. "Glad you could join us." While Reina took the empty seat next to Kumiko, the latter addressed Hazuki and Midori, "You guys know Reina, right?"

"Duh, of course we do," Hazuki quipped. "Who in band doesn't know Reina Kousaka?"

"I hope that's a good thing," Reina said. "Hazuki Katou and Midori Kawashima, right?"

Hazuki gasped. "You know my name?"

Midori also gasped. "And you know the name I prefer to go by?"

"Of course. We've been in band together for a year. It would be pretty terrible if I didn't know your names."

"To be honest, I still blank on some people's names in the band," Kumiko half-joked.

"Then that makes you terrible."

"We're happy to have you, Reina!" Midori enthusiastically stated, being her usual cheerful ball of adorable fluff. "How come you're eating with us?"

"I invited her," Kumiko answered for her. "We first started talking at that party on Saturday."

"Wait, you guys were there?" Hazuki questioned. "I never even saw you."

"Ehh." Kumiko didn't clarify that it was because her time there was spent eating and losing terribly at a video game. "We weren't there long."

"Well, you didn't miss much. Total drag. No new cute guys there at all!"

"What a shame," Kumiko tried not to sound too sarcastic.

"I can't waste time!" Hazuki declared, clenching her fist in determination before lightly slamming it on the table. "I have made it my mission for this school year to get a boyfriend!"

"I'm rooting for you!" Midori cheered. "What's your plan?"

"I… don't know! But what I did end up doing was finding all these love compatibility quizzes online for zodiac signs and stuff." Hazuki pulled out her phone and opened up the web browser. That seemed somewhat unrelated, Kumiko thought, before Hazuki asked her a question, "When's Shuuichi's birthday?"

"Oh… uh… I don't remember. I think it recently passed…?"

"That's terrible, Kumiko!" Hazuki cried. "You're friends and you don't remember when his birthday is?"

"We never get each other anything anyway, so it doesn't matter," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

Reina spoke up, ever curious, "Who's Shuuichi?"

"Ah, he's a friend of mine," Kumiko answered evenly. "We've lived in the same neighborhood since we were kids."

"Childhood friends!" Midori squealed, clasping her hands together excitedly. As always, she was a very hopeless romantic. "It's such a classic setup!" Her eyes appeared to be shining, as if there were tiny stars floating in the irises.

"You guys really would look good together," Hazuki agreed.

Kumiko felt like gagging. This was not a good conversation to have while eating. "Didn't I tell you guys already that I'm—" she was about to say 'gay' or 'a lesbian' until she remembered that Reina was sitting right there. Not knowing how the other girl might react to this information, Kumiko settled on, "—not interested. And he's not either. We're just friends."

Hazuki was focused on her phone and not quite listening. "So if his birthday was recent, that makes him a Virgo… What's your sign again, Kumiko?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Don't you want to know your compatibility with Shuuichi?"

At this rate, Kumiko seriously was going to be sick. "I already know we're not compatible."

"Aw, why not? He's pretty cute."

"He's… ehh… not my type."

"What is your type?" Reina asked a little too quickly.

"Um." Kumiko faltered under Reina's sudden intense gaze. The adjectives that immediately entered her head would perfectly describe the girl next to her. "Not him," she dodged the question. She turned back to Hazuki, "Why don't you check your compatibility with him?"

Hazuki sighed, resting her head in her arms. "Cause I already got shot down, remember?"

"That was because the guy's an idiot and didn't understand that you were asking him out."

"Don't give up on your love, Hazuki!" Midori proclaimed, now fired up. "Keep trying! Shuuichi would have to be crazy to not realize how cute and great you are!"

"Like I said, he's an idiot," Kumiko deadpanned.

Hazuki sighed again and decided to change the subject, "Did you guys know that in Japan they do compatibility stuff with blood types? Kinda weird, huh?"

"Where did you hear that?" Midori asked.

"My anime club, of course. Do you guys know your blood types?"

"I'm type O," Reina said. "Universal donor."

"I'm type A," Kumiko recalled. "And don't bother asking if I know Shuuichi's blood type, cause I don't, and if I did, that'd be weird."

"Hey, me too! Type A buddies!" Hazuki chirped. "Do you know yours, Midori?"

"I don't. Sorry!"

"Lame," Hazuki said while tapping on her phone and finding a website that had a blood type compatibility chart. "Let's see, if you plug in an type A woman and a type B man…"

"What if it's a same-sex couple?" Kumiko immediately questioned before realizing again that she really needed to watch herself. "Er, y'know… to be fair." Reina seemed to agree, much to Kumiko's relief.

"It's not an option on this site," Hazuki answered. Kumiko seriously questioned its credentials, if it had any to begin with. After a few minutes, it was declared, "According to my research—" (of only three web pages) "—it looks like type As and Os are the best match."

"Oh," Kumiko said, glancing to Reina for a second. "That's interesting."

"So I need to find a type O guy," Hazuki mused.

"Let's go around the school and ask all the boys their blood types!" Midori enthusiastically suggested.

Kumiko cringed. "That sounds really creepy." As Hazuki and Midori kept excitedly chattering about romance and quizzes, she leaned down to Reina to amusedly say, "Don't mind them, they're always like this."

"I don't mind," Reina replied, content to watch the conversation, finding Kumiko's blunt statements in particular to be quite entertaining.

* * *

"Sup, bro."

Kumiko sometimes found it a bit strange that Shuuichi often referred to her as 'bro,' but didn't complain. "Oh. Hey," she responded distractedly, digging through her locker to get the books she needed for the second half of the day. She had become fatigued from talking about the guy at lunch, so she wasn't that enthusiastic to now be talking _to_ him.

"Good to see you too," he snarked. "How's it going?"

"Fine. What's up?"

Shuuichi grinned, looking quite satisfied with himself. "I wanted to update you on the fact that I've learned the names of all the new freshmen girls in the band and ranked them accordingly." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "There's a ton of cute ones! Haven't you noticed?"

Even if his methods were questionable at times, Kumiko did appreciate her friend's way of supporting her love of cute girls, but she honestly hadn't been playing much attention. She was too preoccupied with other matters like staring at Reina, thinking about Reina, and now having a new friendship with Reina…

"Oh, wait," he interrupted her Reina-driven train of thought. "Are you still crushing on Kousaka?"

"Erk." In a previous discussion they had last year about the amount of hotties in the band, Kumiko did indeed mention that she thought Reina Kousaka was quite attractive. She really regretted letting that slip out, since Shuuichi had not stopped giving her a hard time about it. He was almost as relentless as Natsuki. "No! It isn't—er, wasn't a crush. I only said she was pretty."

"Yeah, more than once. You seemed kind of obsessed with her for a while."

He wasn't wrong. In fact, that was still the case, now more than ever.

"Anyway," Kumiko huffed, closing her locker. "I'm not interested in your rankings. It's kinda creepy, actually." She shot him an unamused glare.

Shuuichi leaned down, still grinning. "You'd be interested if you weren't crushing on Kousaka."

"I am not!" Kumiko yelped, smacking her hand on the locker door for emphasis.

* * *

Reina happened to witness this conversation from a distance, but was too far away to make out what they were saying. That must have been the "Shuuichi" mentioned at lunch, she concluded. Kumiko had said that she wasn't interested in the guy, but Reina swore that she saw a blush on her face while she was talking to him.

This caused something to start to bubble up within her—a new emotion she couldn't place for reasons she couldn't figure out. Whatever the cause was, Reina determined that Kumiko's relationship to Shuuichi was something definitely worth investigating.

Reina just wanted to learn everything about her new friend, of course. Yes, this was totally normal.


	3. This Mysterious Feeling

Reina liked to think that she was a logical person.

However, all manner of logic might as well have been thrown out the window that she kept repeatedly checking. She was skittering around in the downstairs of her house with nervous energy comparable to the excitement of a puppy waiting for its owner to arrive home.

No one was currently around to witness her behavior, thankfully. Her father was on a business trip and her mother had a volleyball game followed by a post-game get-together. Reina wasn't sure if she could handle her mother fussing over them and doting on her while she was trying to play it cool around Kumiko. She knew it was ridiculous to feel this excited over seeing a friend. She wasn't a little kid… but at the moment she thought that she must have resembled one as she checked the window for Kumiko, again. The girl had texted her not too long ago to inform Reina that she was on her way over.

It was Sunday, and the two were going to work on their project for home economics to turn in tomorrow. They had decided on baking a simple chocolate cake since the recipe seemed easy enough and wouldn't take too long, giving them more time to hang out and talk.

Reina had distractedly walked into the kitchen again when her wandering thoughts were broken by the sound of the doorbell. As tempting as it was to run to the door, she deliberately slowed down her steps so it didn't look like she had been doing what she had actually been doing. She needed to calm down, so she took a few deep breaths before opening the door.

"Heyo!" Kumiko greeted her. She held up a bag of ingredients, the cost of which they had decided to split. "Special delivery!"

"Hi," Reina smiled back at her, hoping her giddiness was not obvious. "Come on in."

Kumiko entered the foyer and asked, "I didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?"

It felt like forever. "You're fine. If you want, you can take your shoes off here. And I can take that bag from you."

"Ah, thanks," Kumiko said, passing the bag over. During the exchange, their hands came in contact and Reina swore that she felt tingles and a rush of—well, something.

Kumiko started looking around at the Kousaka household as Reina led her to the kitchen, but then spotted something adorable hanging on the wall.

"Aww!"

Reina turned around, curious as to what got Kumiko's attention, and instantly blushed when she saw that it was a picture of herself as a child. Her mother just _had_ to put baby pictures on display in the front hallway. Great.

"Is this you?" Kumiko pointed at the picture and giggled, already knowing the answer.

"Yes," Reina said as evenly as possible.

"Aww," Kumiko cooed. "Look at you, with your little red ribbon, and your frilly little socks, and your grumpy little face…"

The more she said, and the more she giggled, the more Reina felt embarrassed. The blush on her face burned hotter. "Are you done?"

"Hehe, sorry. You were so cute." Kumiko looked like she was currently appraising her. "What happened?"

"Wow," Reina deadpanned. "You know, the door's right behind you. You can head out."

"Aw, I was just kidding! Reeiiinaaa!"

Reina ignored her as she walked into the kitchen, the other girl close behind. All the necessary kitchen utensils needed were already laid out, along with the recipe. Reina began to remove the ingredients brought in from the bag and said, "Let's go ahead and get started."

"Good idea," Kumiko said, taking her jacket off and hanging it on the back of a chair at the kitchen island.

Reina took notice of the taller girl's outfit for that day—a black shirt with some design on it (possibly a band logo) and skinny jeans. It was an unremarkable outfit, but the way it clung at the right places and accentuated Kumiko's lean frame made it look great on her. Especially those jeans…

Reina had to snap herself out of her staring before she was caught. She really needed to calm down again.

"So what's first?" Kumiko asked.

The first steps were simple enough: preheat the oven, grease and flour the pan. It was time to start putting everything together.

Reina double-checked the ingredients in front of them. "Oh, we're missing the vanilla extract," she realized, then opened a nearby cabinet over the counter. "We should have some… there it is." She attempted to reach up and grab it, but it was on a high shelf slightly out of her reach even while standing on tiptoes.

Kumiko noticed her plight. "Need some help?" Reina nodded. Kumiko reached up and easily grabbed the vanilla extract for her. "Here ya go," she said, handing it to Reina, who stubbornly accepted it. Kumiko wasn't going to tease her at first, but now she had to after seeing the other girl's adorably indignant expression. "Hey, don't feel bad about being short."

"I don't," Reina grumbled before moving on. "What's next?"

Kumiko read off the next step, which was to stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. While they measured out the appropriate levels of ingredients for each step and placed them in the bowl, Kumiko started humming a tune.

Kumiko half-sang, "It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake, if the way is hazy!"

Reina raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay."

"You gotta do the cooking by the book! You know you can't be lazy!"

"Okay…"

"Never use a messy recipe! The cake will end up crazy!"

"Is that a song?"

"If you do the cooking by the book, then you'll have. A. Cake!"

"You're so weird," she teased.

"Aw, you've never heard that before? Hold on." Kumiko pulled out her phone and did a quick YouTube search.

The video played, and Reina was not impressed. "Yeah, you're still weird," she concluded. "Why are there puppets?"

"I dunno, it's a kids show or something. There's also a catchy song about pirates—"

"Alright," Reina gently interrupted, trying to get back on track. "What's the next step?"

"Let's see," Kumiko said, consulting the recipe again. "Add the 2 eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla." She grabbed the milk that was next to her and a measuring cup. "I can measure this out while you crack the eggs."

"Um…"

"Hm?"

Reina felt embarrassed to admit, "I don't really know how to crack an egg. The last time I tried, it went all over the counter instead of in the bowl."

Kumiko gave her a kind but amused look. "Then I'll show you." She grabbed an egg with one hand and held the bowl with the other. "Don't crack it on the edge of the bowl or else it might spill or get the shell everywhere. Tap it on the inside like this," she demonstrated, breaking the egg into the bowl cleanly. "Now you try."

Reina hesitated. "You seem to have it handled."

"Aw, come on," Kumiko grinned mischievously. "You're telling me that the great Reina Kousaka who can bust out a badass trumpet solo on stage is afraid of breaking an egg?"

Reina blushed at both the compliment and the teasing. "Give me that," she huffed, holding her hand out. Kumiko put the other egg in her hand with a giggle. "Like this, right?" She got a nod in response. Following Kumiko's instructions, she cracked it with no problems. "There. I did it."

"Bravo." Kumiko quietly clapped her hands together.

"Don't patronize me."

"Remember to wash your hands," Kumiko lightly said, finding her cooking companion to be way too adorable. It was time to mix everything, now that those ingredients had been added. The Kousakas had a pretty nice mixer that was perfect for such a task. Reina hesitated again when going to start the mixer, which Kumiko noticed. "What is it?"

"I'm almost scared to turn it on."

Kumiko tried not to obviously laugh at her. "If you're worried about the batter flying everywhere, start it on a low speed, then turn it up to medium."

"I knew that." Reina turned it on, letting it do its thing for two minutes.

After that, it was time to pour some boiling water in the batter, pour it in the pan, and stick it in the oven. With most of the work over, the two of them sat at the kitchen island, ready to talk and waiting for the cake to bake.

"Do you not cook much?" Kumiko asked, genuinely curious and nonjudgmental.

"No… My mom does all the cooking. Do you know how to cook?"

"I've been trying to get better at it. My parents work all the time and my sister's at college, so I'm left to fend for myself a lot. PB&Js and TV dinners get old after a while."

"I should probably learn too, but I'd rather spend my time practicing."

"Ah, so that's why you're so good."

Reina eyed her suspiciously. "Why does it feel like you're making fun of me?"

"I'm not," Kumiko snickered.

Reina made a 'hm' noise in response, not believing her. Now that they were conversing, she had wanted to use this opportunity to ask about Kumiko's relationship to Shuuichi, since it wouldn't stop bothering her when she thought about it. She hadn't figured out _why_ it bothered her, but what she _had_ figured out was a way to weave it into the conversation—which she was about to attempt.

"So," Reina began innocently. "I've enjoyed eating lunch with Hazuki and Midori. They're really nice."

Kumiko looked quite pleased at that. "I'm glad! They really like you too."

"Good to hear. I'm afraid I don't really add much to their conversations, though," she said a bit apologetically.

"Ah, that's alright. With Hazuki it's usually about anime, games, or guys. I like anime and games, but…" Kumiko trailed off, managing to stop herself before she said that she didn't like guys.

"She sure talks about your friend Shuuichi a lot."

"That she does," Kumiko tiredly said.

"But she really is insistent on hooking you two up…" Reina's heart started beating a little faster, having gotten to her ultimate question. "There's really nothing going on between you?"

Kumiko outwardly cringed. "Ugh. No way. I'm not interested, he's not interested, and I know he's not interested cause he calls me 'bro,' so it would be really weird if he was," she sighed. "Why can't a guy and a girl can't just be friends without people assuming something romantic is going on? It's so frustrating having to explain it over and over."

"I'm sorry," Reina said. She hadn't meant to rile the other girl up, but was now extremely relieved. The source of her relief still eluded her, but it was a good feeling nonetheless. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Nah, you didn't. It's okay. Just wanted to vent a bit." Taking the chance to change the subject and find out herself, Kumiko asked, "Any romance in your life?"

"Oh. Not at all…" Reina quietly replied, glancing away. Never before had the thoughts of a relationship crossed her mind, much less a first kiss crossing her lips, but Kumiko inquiring about it made her feel embarrassed.

"Really?" Kumiko asked, surprised. "You seem the type to have people confessing their love for you all the time… but you also seem the type that would turn them all down."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ahah, nothing," Kumiko grinned, glancing at the oven timer. "The cake's still got a ways to go."

"It does."

Kumiko's eyes started wandering around the kitchen. "I gotta say, your house is really nice. Do professional trumpet players make a lot of money?" She quickly raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh, whoops. Is that a rude thing to ask?"

"A little bit," Reina smirked, coming to realize that she found this habit of Kumiko's to be quite endearing.

Kumiko had spotted something else when entering the Kousaka residence. "That piano you have also looks really nice. Do you know how to play?"

"Yes. It was the first instrument I learned, but I'm a bit rusty lately since I've been focusing on the trumpet." She noticed Kumiko's obviously pleading look. "Let me guess, you want me to play something?" Kumiko nodded excitedly. "Well, alright."

The two of them went into the other room to sit down at the piano bench. Having Kumiko sitting on her right unfortunately reminded Reina of an uncomfortable childhood memory when one of her friends got upset at her while she was trying to help them learn the piano. They had gotten frustrated at her constant advice of 'try harder' and ran away from her crying, leaving her alone.

It was the first time she had driven someone away like that, and it wasn't the last time, either.

But now, seeing Kumiko's genuine smile and obvious eagerness to hear her play eased the pain of the memory a bit. She knew that this girl wouldn't run away from her.

Reina turned the music book to one of her favorite songs and began to play. Kumiko listened closely, also watching Reina's fingers deftly move across the keys. Reina claimed that she was rusty, but she certainly didn't appear to be, if her playing was any indication. It was quite lovely.

The rich sound reverberated through the house. Over the course of the song, Kumiko's gaze moved up to Reina's face to watch her focused but happy expression. After she was done playing, Reina noticed Kumiko staring at her. "What?"

Kumiko contently smiled. "I was thinking how some people have it all."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're talented, smart, _and_ beautiful. It's not fair."

Reina's heart skipped a beat at the sheer conviction of her words and the sincere, almost adoring look on her face. Reina had to turn away in embarrassment, now blushing deeply. "Thank you…" she managed to respond quietly. She gripped the bench with both hands to ground herself, building up the courage to add, "I… I think you're those things too…"

Kumiko also blushed, not expecting to receive the compliments back. "Thanks…"

The two sat in an awkward silence for a few moments, not quite able to look at each other.

"We should probably check on the cake."

"Yes."

* * *

The awkwardness had since passed after making the icing and finishing up the baking. Frosting complete, the two admired the completed pastry, quite satisfied with their handiwork.

"Mission complete!" Kumiko cheered, but the moment of victory was short-lived when a thought occurred to her. "…Wait. How many people do you think are gonna go to a grocery store and buy something to turn in?"

Reina stared blankly. "Oh my gosh. I didn't even think of that."

"I feel really dumb now."

"Well… I'm still glad we made our own. We make a good team."

"Yeah!" Kumiko gave her a thumbs up. "It should taste way better too!" She longingly looked at the cake. "…I'm really hungry."

"Don't you dare."

* * *

Kumiko had wanted to stay longer, but she had to get going after receiving a phone call from her mother. She also had a lot of homework to finish (but how much would actually get done was up for question, apparently). "I leave the cake in your capable hands," she said as she put her shoes back on. "Don't forget to bring it tomorrow."

"I won't forget. I won't eat it, either. Unlike somebody," Reina teased.

"Hey, I wouldn't eat the whole thing. Maybe." Kumiko double-checked her pants pockets for her phone and car keys. Now ready to go, she said with a warm smile, "Thanks for having me. It was fun."

"It was," Reina agreed, shyly smiling back at her. She was overcome with the sudden urge to hug the other girl goodbye. It wouldn't have been odd—they were now friends, after all. Hugging a friend was perfectly fine. Yet, for some reason, she felt too nervous to do so. "See you tomorrow."

"See ya!"

"Bye."

After closing the door behind her, Reina rested her forehead against the frame. Her heart was pounding.

She made her way back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up the mess they had made and noticed that Kumiko's jacket was still hanging on the back of the chair, accidentally left behind. She picked it up with the intention of folding it, but ending up staring at it for a moment.

Even though no one was around, Reina glanced over her shoulder before slipping it on. Since she had passed over her opportunity for a hug, this would have to do.

Reina stood there, trying to process the emotions she felt around Kumiko today. There was a sense of comfort but also a thrill as they teased and talked, a nervousness from being too close, but also the desire for her to stay. It was like something was pulling her in like a whirlpool, and she didn't want to fight it. Simply being around the other girl made her feel special.

She brought the jacket's collar up to her face and sighed happily… until she realized something. She didn't have a lot of experiences with friendships, but from what she knew, this level of intensity was probably not normal. It was also probably not normal to feel tingly again while taking in the scent of your friend's jacket.

"Oh no."


	4. Burn My Dread

"Good morning!"

Natsuki sleepily blinked at her overly cheerful friend. This level of energy in the morning was extremely unusual. "What the hell."

"I was at Reina's house yesterday," Kumiko clarified, practically bouncing in her seat.

"Oh, that explains it," Natsuki grunted, throwing her bag in the backseat as usual before she sat down. "So did you ask her out?"

"No! Geez!" Thinking about Reina, her tone softened, "I'm still getting to know her… she's really cute… and nice…"

"Yeah, you've said so," Natsuki said, then brought Kumiko back down to earth, "You need to chill out. She could be straight, y'know."

"Wha—who said anything about that?" Kumiko defended herself, choosing to ignore the harsh possibly reality of her situation. "We're just friends."

Natsuki was not convinced. "It's obvious that this little crush of yours is turning into a _big_ crush."

"It's… It's not… I told you, I don't have a crush on her…"

"Kumiko," Natsuki said, getting the other girl's full attention. Normally she used nicknames or terms of endearment to address her, so when she used her name, Kumiko knew she was serious. "You can't fool me."

Kumiko sighed, defeated. "Yes, you're right. I have a crush on her. A huge crush, actually."

"Yeah, no shit." Natsuki couldn't help but laugh before getting serious again, "Are you in too deep over this girl?"

Recalling the times she had spent recently with Reina, Kumiko knew that it was no longer simply a physical attraction at this point. The more she had gotten to know the girl, the harder she was falling for her. The cuteness hidden underneath that cool demeanor combined with the passion and determination she had for music and performing were a dangerous combination that had won over Kumiko's heart. Especially after yesterday, having gotten to experience Reina's playing up close, so intimately.

It was also fun to tease her, in the hopes of getting more and more of those adorable reactions. Kumiko wanted to know everything about her, and be around her as much as possible, and wasn't sure if she could ever get enough.

"…Maybe," was all she said in response.

"Then you're going to need to find out her sexuality."

"How do I do that?"

"You're her friend, you figure it out," Natsuki shrugged. "Does she seem gay at all?"

"I dunno. I can't really tell."

"Yeah, your gaydar is pretty unreliable," she said with another laugh.

"My 'gaydar' is fine," Kumiko deadpanned. "Reina's sometimes hard to read, and like I said, I'm still getting to know her."

Natsuki took a sip of her coffee. "Well, you best get to knowing if she's into chicks."

Kumiko's giddy energy was now replaced with a sense of somber dread.

* * *

One week had passed since Kumiko and Reina had turned in their cake project. Since then, Reina had managed to push the thoughts of possibly being attracted to her friend to the back of her mind, but as she walked into their class and spotted Kumiko, those thoughts came back to the front with full force.

For some reason, Kumiko was wearing glasses today. Reina knew that she had a weakness for glasses. The band director she had a crush on in middle school wore glasses, but what she had felt for him in the past did not even compare to what she felt over the sight now in front of her.

"Oh no," she whispered to herself.

Kumiko looked up from her phone once Reina sat down. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hi," Reina shyly greeted back, and couldn't help but ask the obvious, "You recently got glasses?"

"Oh, nah. I normally wear contacts, but I accidentally ran out of contact solution. These are my backup pair."

Reina was trying very hard to not appear flustered. "They look good on you," she said. The dark plastic frames were a good compliment to Kumiko's hair and eye color.

"Really?" Kumiko awkwardly scratched the back of her head—her own nervous habit. "Sometimes I think they look kinda weird."

"Yes, really." That was all she allowed herself to say on the matter, lest she start gushing about the cuteness of the girl in front of her. The word 'sexy' also floated through her mind for a moment, but that got pushed back along with everything else.

Kumiko smiled, seemingly satisfied with the compliment. "Oh! I wanted to ask you… My parents are gonna be out of town this weekend, and they said I could have a friend over. Did you want to stay the night?"

"Like a sleepover?"

"Yeah, you could call it that," she chuckled. "So how about it?"

In her current state of mind, Reina would have agreed to whatever the other girl suggested, but the answer to this question was easy. "I'd love to."

* * *

It was band practice and Kumiko was sitting down making notes in her music book when she heard beside her, "What's this, Kumiko? Are you copying my look?"

"You're not the only one who wears glasses, Asuka."

"True, but you are my darling protégé," Asuka responded, placing a hand on her chest and waving the other around with her usual dramatic flair. "It seems only natural that you would pick up some of my habits."

"I've had bad eyesight since before we met."

"Bad eyesight is a curse, but we have also been blessed to look good in eyewear."

"You do, maybe," Kumiko mumbled. She appreciated the compliment from Reina earlier in the day, but was skeptical of Asuka's.

"Don't sell yourself short, young one." Asuka patted her fondly on the head. "I think you look adorable in glasses."

"Thanks…"

Changing the subject, Asuka asked her, "How have you been doing with that part you were having trouble with?"

"Much better. Thanks for your help with that." Over the past year, Asuka had taken Kumiko under her wing in more ways than one, and had also encouraged her to improve with her playing. Kumiko had grown to really admire Asuka and her talent, even if the senior was extremely odd most of the time. She could also be annoying... like an older sister.

"Anytime. I'm also available to help with other matters, too… like relationship advice," Asuka wiggled her eyebrows. She leaned down to quietly say, "Have any girls caught your eye recently?"

Kumiko unconsciously glanced over to Reina, who was thankfully preoccupied. "Err—maybe." This was a non-music-related matter that Asuka might be able to help her with. Natsuki was also good support, but Kumiko also wanted to get her other friend's perspective. "Actually, can I talk to you later after practice?"

"Ooh! How juicy! This should be good."

* * *

Kumiko and Natsuki waited in a nearby hallway outside the practice room, waiting for Asuka to approach.

"So what did you want to talk about, Kumiko?" Asuka glanced at Natsuki. "I assume this isn't a private conversation?"

"Natsuki knows already, so it's fine," Kumiko clarified. "Um… I wanted to ask you for some advice…"

Asuka made no effort to hide her silly smile. "Has a girl come along and stolen your heart?"

"Um, yes… well…" Kumiko mumbled and looked down, clutching the straps of her backpack nervously. She admitted it to Natsuki once before last week, but it was still hard to say. Saying it made it real, and if it was real, then she actually had to confront it.

"She's crushing hard on Kousaka," Natsuki answered for her. Kumiko shyly nodded in confirmation.

"Reina Kousaka?" Asuka reiterated, raising her eyebrows. "Then again, I shouldn't be surprised, you did say that she was hot—"

"Geez! Does everyone know about that?!" Kumiko yelped in embarrassment before calming down. "Yes, she's hot, okay? But this is more than finding her attractive, and I need your help." She updated them on the current status of her relationship with Reina. "And now I invited her over to stay overnight this weekend."

"Whoa, you're having her over while your parents are out of town?" Natsuki whistled. "I'm impressed with your A-game, kid."

"It's not like that," Kumiko grumbled, not appreciating the innuendo.

"Yet," Natsuki smirked.

Kumiko ignored her. She asked Asuka, "What should I do?"

"I already told her that she needs to find out if Kousaka's into girls," Natsuki informed the senior.

Asuka placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought about the information she was given. "I don't think it would be wise at this point to tell her that you have feelings for her," she said, now in her rare serious mode. "You might scare her off, especially this early into your friendship. What you _can_ do this come out to her."

"I've thought about it already," Kumiko said, having considered it after Natsuki urged her to figure out where Reina was on the spectrum. "But what if she freaks out or doesn't like it?"

"Why would she freak out?" Natsuki asked, realizing something important. "She's friends with Yuuko, who we all know is a major lezbo. I think she hangs out with Mizore and Nozomi, too."

"Those two put the word 'sap' in 'sapphic,'" Asuka quipped, reaching a bit for the wordplay.

"Ugh, they're so _sweet_ and _cute_ it's disgusting—"

"I know," Kumiko interrupted the well-worn rant. "But… I dunno. I'm still worried. Just because she hangs out with those three doesn't mean she's a super ally or something. What if she doesn't want to get too close to me 'cause I creep her out or something?"

"Then not even a friendship could work out, I'm afraid," Asuka responded. "If she can't accept you for who you are, is that really the kind of friend you would want to have?"

"Well, no," Kumiko said honestly before getting quiet again. "But I really like her…"

"Asuka makes a good point," Natsuki agreed. "I think you're being silly, but you should go ahead get it over with. And if she has a problem with it, then you can move on before you get in even deeper."

Kumiko knew that she was pretty deep already, practically sitting at the bottom of a lake. Still, she really enjoyed Reina's company. Even if her romantic feelings would never be reciprocated, she could learn to be content with being her friend if that's all she could have.

Not that it would be easy. The pain of needing oxygen was probably not that much different than the pain of heartbreak, but neither sensations were preferable.

"You're right," Kumiko relented with a sigh. She gripped the straps of her backpack again, but with determination. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Good luck! Let me know how it works out, okay?" Asuka asked, to which Kumiko nodded in response. "Also…" she began, getting back to her mischievous self. "What you should also keep doing is working those charms of yours on her."

"My charms?" Kumiko asked incredulously.

"Take it from me, as someone who has turned many a lady gay! If I can do it, then so can my dear apprentice!"

Kumiko raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Have you really?"

"She has," Natsuki confirmed. "You haven't noticed most of the new freshmen girls going gaga over her? Not to mention Haruka and Kaori…"

"I've created my own harem!" Asuka proudly proclaimed, making Kumiko genuinely laugh. "Here's my next piece of advice. Keep the glasses." She pointed at her with a finger-gun and a wink. "The ladies love them."

"Do they?"

Natsuki chuckled. "Hey, best case scenario, maybe Kousaka digs the look."

"She did say that I looked good in them this morning," Kumiko recalled.

"Then you're already on the right track!" Asuka gave her a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, I guess you are kinda charming," Natsuki agreed with a laugh. "In your own weird way," she added with a playful shove.

"Very funny," Kumiko quipped. This conversation reminded Kumiko of how truly important Natsuki and Asuka were to her—not just as good friends, but also as support and guidance. "Thanks, you guys," she said, starting to feel emotional. "I really appreciate your help."

Asuka wrapped her fellow euphonists in a hug, draping her arms over their shoulders. "You're welcome, kiddo." She ruffled Kumiko's hair, asking her, "What are you going to do without me around?"

Kumiko tried to fight the tears pricking at her eyes. The fact that her favorite senior would be graduating this year made her extremely sad, but she hid her mushy feelings with a retort, "I'm going to enjoy the quiet."

* * *

"Why has my best friend forsaken me?"

Asuka claimed that Kumiko had picked up some of her habits, but currently it was more like Natsuki who had, over-dramatically whining while sprawled across the back seat of the car.

"When was the last time we had a sleepover, kid? It feels like it's been so long—"

"It really hasn't," Kumiko cut her off.

It was now Friday—the day that Reina was going to stay overnight at Kumiko's house. She had brought an overnight bag with her to school that day and it was more convenient to ride along to Kumiko's house in her car, but Natsuki also needed a ride home like usual.

Reina had grown to quite like all of Kumiko's friends that she met so far, and Natsuki was no exception. She found the lunchtime conversations between Hazuki and Midori interesting to watch and participate in, but watching Kumiko's dynamic with Natsuki was even more entertaining. It was obvious the two had been friends for a while and knew how to get under each other's skin, but the fondness between them was clearly there. In a lot of ways it reminded Reina of her growing friendship with Yuuko.

"I guess I'll just go home and spend my entire weekend alone," Natsuki moaned, laying an arm over her face.

"That's not true," Kumiko responded. "You've got plans with Nozomi, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. It'll be nice to hang out with her without her girlfriend around for once," Natsuki stated, sitting up with a grunt. "Those two are cute and all, but sometimes they're so lovey-dovey and all over each other that it grosses me out. I blame Yuuko for setting them up and creating that madness. I blame her for most things, actually. Hey, Kousaka!" she sprang forward, gripping the back of the seat. "How can you be friends with that ribbon-wearing weirdo anyway?"

"She's actually very sweet," Reina responded with sincerity.

Natsuki snorted. "Ha! I find that hard to believe!"

Kumiko winced from her friend loudly talking right next to her ear. "Natsuki, can you please lower the volume? You're giving me a headache."

"Well, excuuuuuse me, princess!"

In short time, Kumiko pulled up to the Nakagawa residence and opened the trunk for her so she could retrieve her book bag. Reina saw the state of the car in the driveway, and like Kumiko, thought it was best not to ask what had happened to it. Now she knew why Natsuki always needed rides.

Natsuki popped her head back into the car to bid the sophomores goodbye. "See ya later, kiddos! Don't have too much fun!" She exaggeratedly winked in Kumiko's direction, who shot her back an unamused look.

Also like usual, Kumiko watched to make sure that Natsuki got into her house.

"Is she actually jealous?" Reina asked.

Kumiko chuckled. "Nah, she's just kidding around."

"She's pretty funny. She also seems nice."

"She's mostly a pain in my ass."

Reina giggled at Kumiko's annoyed expression. "Yuuko gives me a hard time too. Not as much as Natsuki, but…"

"I swear, she has perfected the art of torturing me." Despite her words, she was smiling.

* * *

Thankfully, Kumiko's mild Natsuki-enduced headache had subsided once they arrived at the Oumae family home.

"My room's right up those stairs," Kumiko said as they entered the foyer, pointing at a staircase near the entrance. "You can go ahead and put your stuff down up there." Reina headed up first, and Kumiko admired the view as she followed behind her.

Reina had been looking forward to seeing what Kumiko's room and house in general were like, hoping to get more insight into her personality and life. The house appeared to have two stories, although the second story was just a bedroom and a bathroom, but it was still a nice set-up with a decent amount of space.

Kumiko had recently cleaned and vacuumed (somewhat frantically) in preparation for Reina's arrival. The girl was not-so-subtly appraising her room, which Kumiko hoped was to her liking.

"Your room is nice," Reina simply said, nodding approvingly. "I like all your little plants."

"Thanks," Kumiko sheepishly smiled. "I'm a big fan of plants. Especially cacti." They also all had names, but she wasn't about to divulge that tidbit of information.

Reina approached some shelves with Kumiko's stereo, record player, and music collection of CDs and vinyls. She pointed at one of the lithographs. "Is this a real signature?"

"Yeah!" Kumiko said, happy to show it off. "I won it in a giveaway at that music store down the road. For some reason, there weren't a lot of entries, but I still got lucky. It's one of my favorite bands, too."

Reina smiled at her pure enthusiasm. There were apparently three big things that got Kumiko super excited: food, games, and music. She hoped to discover more… or even become one of those reasons. "I'll have to give them a listen, then."

"I can play some of it for you later," Kumiko suggested.

Reina placed her bag down and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm a bit jealous that you also have your own bathroom."

"Yeah, I like it," Kumiko agreed, sitting down next to the other girl. "This room used to be my sister's, but I took it over once she left for college."

"That's right, you mentioned having a sister before," Reina recalled, eager to learn more. "I'm an only child, so I don't know what that's like. Are you two close?"

"Um, we used to be… we haven't really talked much lately…" Kumiko trailed off sadly. Reina gave her a questioning look. Trying to recover quickly, she added, "Ah, but it's no big deal! She's probably just really busy with school."

"I'm sorry," Reina said. It seemed like she always kept unintentionally upsetting the other girl.

"Ah, it's alright. Don't worry about it," Kumiko waved a hand dismissively, as she often did. Moving on, she asked, "So what did you want to do? We could watch a movie or play video games or something."

"Whatever you'd like to do is fine with me," Reina replied with a smile.

"Okay! Actually… Are you hungry? I'm getting kinda hungry."

Reina chuckled. "Aren't you always hungry?"

"Yeah, I guess that's true," she said with a silly grin, not able to argue that point. "How about I order us some pizza?"

* * *

"I thought the movie was pretty good," Reina said, putting her plate down next to the now-empty pizza box on the small table in the middle of Kumiko's room. The two sat on the floor together—not too close, but not too far apart—to watch the movie on the small TV in the corner of Kumiko's room. They had managed to find something random on Netflix, courtesy of one of the game consoles hooked up. "What did you think?"

"Ehh. The special effects were good, but there was way too much talking in the middle," Kumiko shared her opinion, leaning further back into the pillows and cushions placed against the foot of the bed. "Oh, and the female lead could've done way better than the guy she ended up with. Ugh." Reina started chuckling. "What?"

"That sounds like something you'd say."

"Does it?"

"It does." Reina then remembered something that had started annoying her partway through the movie. "Kumiko, do you happen to have any nail clippers? I have a hangnail that's really bothering me."

"Oh, sure," Kumiko said, getting up to head to her bathroom to locate some. Upon reentering the room with the nail clippers and handing them to Reina, she was struck with an idea. "Oh, hold on! I'll be right back."

Reina watched her dash out of the room, curious as to what she was up to. It wasn't long before she heard quick trudging back up the stairs.

"Found it!" Kumiko cheered.

"Found what?"

"One of my sister's nail kits and some polish. She used to do my nails all the time and taught me some stuff. If you want, I could do your nails for you."

"Really?" Reina asked, surprised.

"Sure, why not?" Kumiko grinned, scratching the back of her head again out of nervousness. "This is a sleepover, right? It could be fun."

Reina couldn't say no to Kumiko's excited face. "Okay."

"Sweet," she responded. Kumiko sat across from Reina on the bed and showed her the shades of nail polish left behind by her older sister. "What color would you like?"

"Hm. Clear is fine."

"Really? Not this purple?" Kumiko held up the bottle. "It would match your eyes so well," she said with a wink.

If Asuka and Natsuki were currently watching this scene, they would be quite impressed by Kumiko's charms and probably cheering. Not that Kumiko had no idea what she was doing. She was just being her usual self.

Regardless, it was quite effective. Reina found her to be adorable. "No… I prefer subtle."

"I see. Very classy. Clear it is." She grabbed the nail file. "Well, then, let's get started."

Reina was nervous about having Kumiko touch her hands, recalling when a simple contact two weeks ago sent tingles through her, but she certainly couldn't say no at this point—and didn't want to. She let Kumiko start on her right hand, and as expected, it made her feel giddy. She hoped that she was hiding it well.

"You have really pretty hands," Kumiko observed.

Reina blushed. "Thank you…"

Kumiko put their palms together to see the size difference between them. Kumiko's were slightly bigger. "Figures. You're a shorty with tiny hands."

"Again with the insults?"

"Hey, who said they were insults?" Kumiko smirked. "It's cute."

"If you say so…" Reina kept blushing.

Reina's nails were in generally good shape, so there wasn't much to fix up with a file, taking only a few minutes. Kumiko grabbed the polish. "Hehe. This is such a cliché at sleepovers, isn't it? Painting nails."

"Isn't it also a cliché at sleepovers to talk about boys?" Reina asked. She hadn't had the experience first-hand, but had seen it in movies.

Kumiko looked uncomfortable. "That's the last thing I'd like to talk about, really."

"Not interested in guys?"

"You could say that," Kumiko responded quietly. This was her chance. The mood became awkward for a moment as Kumiko shifted uncomfortably, swallowing hard. "Um," she started, gathering her courage, placing Reina's hand down to make eye contact instead. "I've needed to tell you something."

Reina's heart started beating faster at Kumiko's serious expression, not sure what to expect. "What is it?"

"I… uh…" Kumiko struggled with her words for a moment, but the blunt approach was usually the best. "I'm gay."

Reina wasn't sure what to say other than, "Oh."

"Oh?"

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes, it's okay."

Kumiko stared at her, not expecting such a subdued reaction. "So you don't have a problem with it?"

"Of course not."

"You don't think I'm gross or disgusting or—"

"Absolutely not. There's nothing wrong with being gay," Reina smiled reassuringly at her.

Kumiko let out a huge breath, clutching her chest. "Oh, thank god. I was worried you might freak out."

"Did you think I would?" Reina genuinely asked, although a bit offended.

"Not really, but it's always hard to know," Kumiko clarified. "I was really scared that you might not want to be my friend anymore…" Picking up Reina's hand, she added sincerely, "…which would suck, cause I really like being your friend."

Reina's stomach fluttered at the contact and her words. "I like being your friend too," she softly said.

"So we're good?"

"Of course."

On the outside, Reina was playing it cool, but on the inside, she was indeed freaking out. Having the girl she had recently been having complicated feelings about tell her that she was a lesbian was certainly enough to send her sensibilities flying out of control.

On top of this, Kumiko was back to working on her nails. It was already difficult enough to contain her giddiness over the other girl holding and treating her hands with such care, but now it was almost too much to handle. Kumiko was driving her crazy, but she couldn't get enough—even if it kept doing funny things to her heart.

So if Reina couldn't address the question of her own sexuality out loud, maybe she could get some guidance from Kumiko's answers. "Um. Can I ask you some things?"

"Ask away," Kumiko lightly replied, assuming correctly what her questions might be about.

Reina fidgeted with her current free hand. "When did you… realize that you were gay?"

"Hmm." Kumiko looked contemplative, thinking back. "It was throughout middle school. My best friend at the time was a girl named Azusa—well, we're still friends, actually. We talk online. I was totally smitten with her, but I had no idea. I thought we were just 'good friends,'" she chuckled, adding air quotes. "I started feeling like something was wrong with me when one of the boys in class told me that he liked me and wanted to kiss me, and I ran away crying, totally grossed out. I didn't get why it upset me so much, but in retrospect…"

Reina softly laughed in understanding. "Makes sense."

"All I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss my best friend."

The thought of Kumiko kissing another girl gave Reina another funny feeling.

Kumiko continued, "What I didn't know was that she had actually been thinking the same thing, and one day she randomly said that she wanted to kiss me. So we did, and… we both realized we're gay as heck." Kumiko looked amused, then fondly recalled, "She was my secret girlfriend for a while."

Reina smiled. "That's sweet."

Kumiko sighed, also reminded of the unfortunate part of the story. "I was heartbroken when she had to move and we couldn't go to the same high school. We had to break up."

Reina gave her a sympathetic look. "Do you think you'd still be together if she didn't have to move?"

"Eh, hard to say… sometimes our personalities clashed too much. Sometimes she liked to cause drama for the fun of it. I think we're better as friends. So in a way, it worked out." Kumiko had finished painting Reina's nails, and continued, "I was still having trouble accepting myself when I got to high school, but thankfully I met Natsuki. I mean, it's pretty obvious that she's…"

"Yeah," Reina agreed.

Kumiko laughed. "Right? She helped me out a lot since she had worked through the same things herself, and pointed me to some LGBT websites to read and stuff. We ended up becoming best friends."

"It's great that you've got a friend like that," Reina said sincerely.

"Definitely," Kumiko nodded and smiled. "Asuka's been a good friend for that too. She's helped us both out with that stuff, and in band."

That reminded Reina of another thing she needed to get to the bottom to. "Oh, I… wanted to ask you something about Asuka."

"What about her?"

"Are you and her… you know…?"

Kumiko held her hands up defensively, looking panicked. "No, no, no! No way! But…" She lowered her hands. "I get why you'd ask that. Sometimes people get the wrong idea since she's pretty affectionate with me, but she's practically another sister to me. Or a gay mentor," she added with a laugh.

Reina nodded, thoroughly satisfied with the answer.

"Any other questions?"

"I think I'm good for now," Reina nodded. "Is it just me, or are there a lot of lesbians in the band?"

Kumiko laughed again. "I know, right? What is with our band being so gay?" A relieved breath escaped her. After all that, she certainly felt lighter, and one other thing. "Talking about my journey to gaydom sure does make me hungry!" Reina laughed at that, not expecting it. "How about I make some popcorn?"

"You'll probably eat it all before my nails dry."

"That's the plan."

"No fair!" Reina whined.

* * *

With the major confession out of the way, the two enjoyed the rest of the night talking and playing games. Time quickly passed as they played some rounds of Smash Bros and Mario Kart.

Their fun was eventually interrupted by Reina trying to cover a loud yawn.

"Getting tired?" Kumiko asked.

"A little bit," Reina responded, glancing at a clock on the nightstand. "I didn't realize how late it was getting. I'm usually asleep around this time."

"Ah, it's not that late," Kumiko teased. "But I suppose early to bed, early to rise makes…" she trailed off. "I forget the rest. I'm kinda tired too." Reina giggled at her silliness. "We should probably change into our pajamas."

Neither moved for a moment, the mood starting to feel weird.

"Uhhh—I'll go change in the bathroom!" Kumiko spoke up, then laughed nervously. "I gotta take my contacts out anyway."

Reina nodded in response. After Kumiko grabbed some nightwear from her dresser drawer and closed the bathroom door, she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She was being ridiculous. They were both girls. It wouldn't be odd to change in front of each other in the same room. Regardless, she quickly changed into her own pajamas to avoid any possible awkwardness.

When Kumiko stepped out of the bathroom, Reina was again reminded of how attractive she looked in glasses. "Those are cute jammies," she said to her, but Reina thought that Kumiko's current cuteness was unparalleled.

"Thanks," she replied. "Yours too." Another more pressing matter then occurred to her. "Kumiko, where am I sleeping?"

"Oh. Uh…" Kumiko started shuffling awkwardly. "I was going to suggest that you could share the bed with me, but if that makes you too uncomfortable, I can sleep on the floor or the couch downstairs or—"

"That's fine," Reina quickly answered with another reassuring smile.

Kumiko looked relieved, glad that Reina trusted her.

All the lights were off, with a fan running in the corner to provide some white noise. Snuggling into the covers, Kumiko asked her friend, "Comfortable?"

"Yes, thank you."

"G'night, then."

"Good night."

They faced away from each other in the double-sized mattress, trying to create as much space as needed and remaining as still as possible to not disturb their sleeping companion. Soon enough, Kumiko drifted off, understandably more comfortable in her own bed.

Another hour passed.

Despite being physically tired, Reina couldn't will herself to go to sleep due her racing thoughts and steadily pounding heart. Being surrounded by the scent of fresh bedsheets and Kumiko herself reminded her of when she had put on and smelled her friend's jacket like some kind of creep. She felt a combination of guilt and contentment as she buried her face in the pillow, further taking in the aroma. It was almost intoxicating.

This was definitely not normal.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Kumiko rolled over and her arm landed on her side. Reina jumped at the contact.

"K-Kumiko…? Are you awake…?"

She got a light snore in response.

It was hard to focus on evening out her own breathing when she felt the other girl's breaths lightly hitting the back of her neck, giving her goosebumps.

At this point, Reina could no longer deny that she felt something quite strong for her friend. If her body's reactions were any indication, it was at the least a very intense attraction. Did this mean she was gay? Or maybe bi? She didn't know. From the way Kumiko talked, she sounded so sure of her own identity, but she was nowhere near that point yet, even with the opportunity to talk about it right in front of her.

Reina always considered herself fearless in the face of adversity, combating whatever came her way by playing her trumpet with even more determination. However, this situation felt scarier than the pressure of playing on a national stage, and she had no idea how to handle it. This was a problem that music couldn't solve and one she couldn't face alone. She needed help.

Despite the questions swirling in her mind, she still wanted to enjoy this moment. Reina scooted further back into her friend's warm embrace, pulling Kumiko's arm further over herself. She gently held onto the other girl's hand and lightly rubbed circles on it with her thumb, loving how soft her skin was. Hopefully it wouldn't be too awkward if they woke up together in this position, but Reina tried not to worry about what might come in the morning.

For now, it wouldn't hurt to indulge herself a little. She closed her eyes, smiling, finally ready to let sleep overtake her.


	5. Maze of Life

It was Monday, outside of Natsuki's house. These October mornings were starting to get colder. Kumiko's gaze was half-focused on the frosted morning dew while her mind was preoccupied with going over the weekend's events before her reprieve was broken with the opening of the car door.

"How'd it go over the weekend?" Natsuki immediately asked.

"Oh. We had fun," Kumiko responded as Natsuki got herself situated. "I told her I'm gay."

Natsuki choked on her coffee. She really wished that her friend would not say these sorts of things so flippantly while she was taking sips. "Whoa, so you actually took our advice! How did she react?"

"She took it well," Kumiko said, recalling Reina's reaction. It was more of a lack of reaction, really. "Actually, she didn't seem too surprised… Am I that obvious?"

"You _are_ a giant lesbo," Natsuki laughed. "But you're less obvious than me, if that makes you feel any better."

"That's not really saying much," Kumiko deadpanned.

"So that was it?" Natsuki leaned forward, desperate for more information. "You said you were gay, she said okay, and you moved on?"

"She asked me a few questions, but yeah, pretty much," Kumiko sighed. She was hoping that Reina might divulge some information about her own sexuality to give her a bit of hope, and when she didn't, she felt very disappointed. She didn't want to outright ask, since it wasn't really her business, but it was certainly tempting.

For now, all she could assume was that Reina was her supportive straight friend. It was an extremely sad thought, but at least she was accepted. "I had this hope that maybe when I came out to her, she would respond, 'oh, hey! I'm gay too!' Or at least bi. But she didn't…"

"I'm sorry, kid," Natsuki said sympathetically.

"You were right, Natsuki." Kumiko's voice started to shake as tears welled up in her eyes. "She's probably straight… and I'm really stupid…"

"Hey, hey, c'mon," Natsuki reached a supportive hand out. "Don't cry."

Kumiko tried wiping away her tears with her sleeves, but they were falling too fast to keep up with. "I… I really like her a lot, Natsuki..."

While Kumiko cried, there wasn't much Natsuki could do but watch. "I know you do, Kumiko. You'll be okay," she gently said, patting her friend's shoulder. Then, something occurred to her as she reconsidered the information just told to her. "Hold on. Did she actually _say_ that she was straight?"

"Well…" That's right, she hadn't. "No…"

"Then don't give up yet!" Natsuki declared, clenching her fist.

Kumiko was taken aback by her normally-realist friend's sudden passion. "But…"

"It's like I always say—assume they're gay before proven straight!"

"You've never said that," Kumiko retorted, having been told quite the opposite. "And shouldn't it be the other way around?"

"That's looking at the glass half-empty, my friend."

"Since when are you so optimistic?" Other emotions began bubbling up to the surface. "And even if she _was_ gay or whatever… would she even like _me_? I mean, she's so beautiful… and amazing… and I'm just… average. Mediocre at best. I shouldn't even bother—"

Natsuki gave her friend a light karate chop.

"Ow!" Kumiko yelped, holding her head where she was hit. "What was that for?!"

"Don't talk about yourself like that," Natsuki said firmly. "Any girl would be lucky to have you, Kousaka included. Remember what Asuka said—if she can turn a chick gay, then you can too."

Kumiko managed a choked laugh. "How do I do that?"

"Keep working those charms of yours on her. She'll come around."

Kumiko shook her head, still unsure of what 'charms' her friends were referring to. If Natsuki had a sudden change of outlook, maybe things weren't as hopeless as she now thought… but she was quite far from convinced.

* * *

Meanwhile, Reina had spent most of yesterday and that morning daydreaming about how wonderful it had felt to be in Kumiko's arms. She managed to snap out of it when she saw Yuuko's car pull up in her driveway, there to pick her up for school. After exchanging morning greetings, they were quickly on their way.

The drive from Reina's house to the school was only a few songs long, and she had more important matters to address rather than listening to Yuuko loudly sing along to whatever shuffled onto her iPod this morning.

"Yuuko," Reina began, turning the volume down, "can I ask you for some advice?"

"Sure, what about?" Yuuko asked, always glad to see her friend open up more. They had gotten closer over the past few months, especially thanks to the recent conversations they had on their rides to and from school.

"What do you do when a girl you might like tells you that she's gay?"

If Yuuko were not a competent driver, she might have swerved off the road. Sometimes the craziest things would come out of Reina's mouth at the most unexpected of times, and if she didn't stop saying them in the car, Yuuko might end up killing them both one day.

"Wh—what?!" she yelped. "You like someone?"

Reina pointedly stared out the window, not wanting to see her friend's shocked expression. "Might like."

"Who is it? No, wait, let me figure it out." Reina didn't have to wait long. "Oh my gosh. Is it Kumiko? You have been hanging out with her a _lot_ …"

"No!" Reina squeaked out. "Maybe," she quickly and quietly admitted, hiding her face. "Oh no. Now you know that Kumiko's gay, and she entrusted me with that information—"

"That's not the issue here!" Yuuko interrupted. "I already assumed that she was a lesbian since she's best friends with Natsuki, who is quite possibly the hugest homo on the planet." Excited over this new gossip, she squealed, "I can't believe you've got a crush!"

"I… don't…" Reina tried to deny before sighing, "I'm really confused."

"What about?"

"This is completely new to me. I've never felt this way about anyone before, much less another girl." Reina fidgeted with her recently-painted nails. "What if I only like her as a really good friend?"

"How do you feel when you're around her?"

Reina clutched at the seatbelt, thinking about all the complicated things she had felt around Kumiko, and tried to put them into words, "Happy… and comfortable… but really nervous too?" she sighed again, more exasperated. "Frankly, she's driving me crazy. And she's so cute in glasses that I feel like I'm going to lose my mind."

Yuuko smiled amusedly at her friend's admissions. "That sounds pretty gay, Reina."

Reina was now thoroughly embarrassed at what spilled out. She continued trying to deny it, "But I've had crushes on guys before. Well, one guy."

"Then you could be bi. It's no big deal," Yuuko said reassuringly. "Plenty of people think they're straight before that certain person comes along that pulls them out of the closet."

Reina pondered that statement for a moment. "Okay, so let's say that I'm gay or bi. What do I do now?" Yuuko looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"Well… it's just that most people get hung up on the idea of realizing that they're not straight…"

"I don't care about the label."

Yuuko shook her head in amusement. "I guess you wouldn't. Yeah!" she suddenly cheered, now fired up. "Who needs labels?!"

"I don't!"

"You like Kumiko!"

"Maybe!"

"You should ask her out!"

"I…" Reina hesitated. That idea unleashed a colony of panicked butterflies in her stomach. "…don't know about that."

"Why not?"

"What if she says no and it makes things awkward?"

"Even if it did, she'd have to be an idiot to turn you down," Yuuko adamantly insisted. "I don't know her that well, but I don't think she'd be stupid enough to not give someone like you a chance."

Reina appreciated the inferred compliment, but still wasn't convinced. "But I really like being her friend and don't want to ruin it. I don't have a lot of friends…"

"Yeah, that's true."

"Ouch."

"Hey, _you_ said it!" Yuuko defended herself. "Okay, how about this… you could start flirting with her and see how she reacts."

"Flirting? How do I do that?"

"Google it," Yuuko joked. Reina pulled out her phone and started typing 'how to flirt with girls' in the web browser. "I was just kidding…" she started laughing. "Are you serious?"

"When am I not serious?"

Yuuko pulled into her usual parking space. "Also true…" She put the car in park and turned to her friend, now absorbed in articles and tips on how to flirt. "You've got 2nd period with her, right?"

"I do," Reina said distractedly.

"Then take what you learn there," she pointed at Reina's phone, "and put it into action."

Reina's eyes widened. "Already?"

"She _is_ really cute, right?" Reina nodded. "So if you're not careful, someone else might snatch her up. Like Asuka. She's always got her hands all over her."

"There's nothing going on between them. I already asked her."

Yuuko cracked up. "So you've been investigating her love life? And you said you didn't have a crush on her…"

Reina sighed again, finally admitting defeat. "I suppose I do."

"It's pretty obvious," Yuuko said fondly. "Let me know how it goes!"

* * *

Kumiko began that week feeling discouraged. It was just the start of a very bad week for her, but she wasn't aware of it at the time.

On the other hand, Reina was encouraged. Having digested a few articles and how-to's on the art of flirting during the brief breaks between classes, she strode into home economics with some confidence that she could put the plan to woo Kumiko into action. She quickly spotted her target siting at their usual table, tapping on her phone.

"Hi there," Reina happily greeted her. Step one: give a cute smile.

"Hey," Kumiko returned the greeting. It wasn't as enthusiastic as usual.

Reina noticed Kumiko's tired eyes, but assumed that she had stayed up too late again. She would've made a teasing comment, but it was a better chance to implement step two: giving a compliment. "You look cute today," she said.

Kumiko looked at her incredulously. She was wearing nothing different than her usual attire—jeans and a hoodie over a t-shirt—but a compliment was still a compliment, and always appreciated. "Thanks. You too," she said, brightening up, repaying the words back.

"Thank you. What game are you playing there?" Reina asked, leaning in closer than necessary. Step three: take interest in her hobbies.

"Crossy Road," Kumiko answered, not realizing how much Reina had entered her personal space. "All you do is get animals to the other side of the road. It's pretty fun."

Their conversation was cut short and Kumiko had to put her phone away after their teacher began her lecture on… whatever silliness her cats had gotten up to over the weekend. No one had quite figured out the exact number that she owned, since she had mentioned about 5 different felines' names and variations of them.

Eventually, the bell rang. Before exiting class, Reina did step four: initiating physical contact. "I'll see you at lunch, then," she said to Kumiko, gently placing a hand on her arm for a brief moment before leaving.

Kumiko sat there for a moment, blinking. Something felt different about their interaction today, but she was way too tired to process it. It was probably nothing, anyway.

* * *

It was Tuesday, in between 2nd and 3rd period. Kumiko was currently digging through her locker and grumbling, her mouth quite sore after having been to the dentist. She wanted to go home after her appointment, but had to come back to school due to a test she had later that day (that she hadn't really studied for).

The bell rang to dismiss class and students began to quickly crowd the hall. Shuuichi exited from a nearby classroom and spotted Kumiko. "Sup, bro," he greeted, not used to seeing her in the hallway at this time.

"Yo," she replied, muffled by the gauze in her mouth.

"What's up with you?"

"Went to the dentist," she simply replied, pointing to her slightly swollen cheek.

"Yikes. That sucks," he said sympathetically. "Listen, I had a question for you." Kumiko gave him a 'what?' look. "I noticed you've been talking more with Kousaka."

Kumiko would've called him out on that not being a question, but wanted to keep her talking as brief as possible for the sake of her aching mouth. "Yeah? We're friends."

"Bro. _Nice_. If all goes good with her, you gotta teach me some of your secrets."

"There's really no secret, dude." Kumiko closed her locker and hefted her bag back on her shoulders. "Be nice and genuine. Don't be creepy." She would've left it at that, but couldn't help but add some snark, "Take it from someone who's had a girlfriend before."

Shuuichi looked as if his pride had been seriously wounded. "Low blow." Noticing that Kumiko wanted to leave, he quickly added, "You gotta let me know if you end up scoring!"

She also had to respond to that, "Even if I did, you'd be the last person to know."

"Aw, come on—"

"Excuse me," a voice spoke up.

Shuuichi jumped and yelled in fright, in turn startling Kumiko. She gave him a 'what the hell?' look that time.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." It was Reina. Kumiko wondered if they had summoned her by talking about her, but they didn't say her name three times.

"Man, you're like a ninja!" Shuuichi said to her. He then not-so-subtly glanced between the girls and grinned. "See ya later!" he said as he quickly made his exit.

"What was that about?" Reina asked.

"Don't mind him. He's an idiot," Kumiko flatly said before her expression softened at Reina. "What's up?"

Reina stepped closer. "I was wondering why you weren't in class. I thought you might be sick."

Kumiko shook her head. "Dentist appointment."

"Oh," Reina responded, now understanding her absence and muffled speech. "How did it go?"

"Had a tooth pulled."

"Ouch. Will it be better by lunch?" Kumiko shook her head again. "Aww. Well, I'll see you there later, then."

"Wait." Kumiko stopped her, willing to talk more to find something out. "You're eating with us again?"

"Yes…" Reina gave her a confused look, slightly tilting her head. "Why do you ask? Did you not want me to?"

"It's not that…" Kumiko muttered, looking down and tapping her toe against the linoleum floor nervously. "Your other friends might be missing you if you ate with us all the time, right?"

"It's fine. I want to eat with you," Reina replied, reaching out to touch Kumiko's upper arm. "I hope you feel better."

"Thanks," Kumiko mumbled before watching Reina walk away. Again, she found the interaction to be slightly unusual in some way, but her head hurt too much at the moment to process. She also really needed to get to class.

* * *

It was Wednesday, 2nd period. Reina sat at her and Kumiko's table, wondering where the other girl was. She was usually in class before her. Was she actually sick today? Did something happen? Her questions were interrupted when her friend finally rushed in before the bell rang.

"Geez," Reina heard Kumiko mutter under her breath as she sat down.

"Hi," Reina greeted her with a smile. "How are you?"

"Not good," Kumiko responded, her speech still muffled by gauze. "I just got here cause my piece of shit car wouldn't start again this morning." She placed her head on her arms with a tired sigh.

Reina had yet to see Kumiko this annoyed or sad, and didn't like it one bit, so she reached into her bag. "I've got something for you," she said, piquing Kumiko's interest. Reina was going to give it to her at lunch, but wanted to hopefully make her feel better as soon as possible. "Here you go." She placed a wrapped chocolate snack cake in front of her. "I accidentally packed two in my lunch," she lied.

It was no accident. Reina had heard the phrase 'a way through a man's heart is through his stomach,' but obviously the same logic could be applied to women too. It also covered step five: giving a gift.

"Oh, I like these!" Kumiko's face brightened for a brief moment. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Reina said, somewhat innocently placing her hand on Kumiko's shoulder. "Will you be able to eat it okay?"

"Yeah, it's soft, so it's fine. If this will stop giving me trouble," she said, pointing at her cheek again. She put the snack in her book bag, then she put her head back down, burying her face in her arms. "My head hurts," she whined.

"I don't think the teacher will notice if you doze off," Reina suggested, hearing their teacher starting up the story for the 3rd time of when she and her dear husband visited the Grand Canyon in 1972. Or was it 73?

"Good idea," Kumiko said, now muffled by her arms as well.

Reina spent most of the rest of the class watching her, hoping that things would start looking up for her soon.

* * *

It was Thursday, 2nd period. That day wasn't going much better for Kumiko. Any good mood she could've had was soured after learning that she had bombed another math test. Having her weakest subject be her 1st period class was making her life more difficult than it needed to be.

Reina sat down and immediately noticed Kumiko's unhappy appearance. She wasn't playing on her phone like usual—instead sitting there with her arms crossed, looking down with a frown, and her right leg slightly jittering. "Hi," Reina gently greeted, knowing that it was probably best not to ask how she was doing.

"Hey," Kumiko responded, managing a smile back at her. Possible unrequited feelings or not, Kumiko could still appreciate how pretty and nice Reina was. Her presence alone was enough to lighten her mood a tiny bit.

Reina really wished that she had another snack cake to give her to hopefully make her happy. She did have a conversation topic, though. "I downloaded that game you mentioned before."

"Which one?"

"Crossy Road," Reina answered, showing the other girl her phone. "It is a lot of fun."

"Hey, that's pretty good," Kumiko commented on her latest high score. "It's addictive, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Hopefully it's not cutting into your practice time too much."

"Even I take breaks, you know."

"So you _are_ human like the rest of us," Kumiko teased.

Reina raised an eyebrow in amusement. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, nothing," she lightly said, and left it at that.

What Kumiko was referring to was that, to her, Reina might as well have been a goddess. Her own feelings of inadequacy came to the forefront again, already brought on earlier by receiving another poor grade. It was like she said to Natsuki earlier in the week—Reina was so beautiful, and smart, and all-around amazing… why would she even be interested in some aimless eupho player like her? Compared to the girl sitting next to her, she was nothing special at all.

Reina decided that it was best to leave the conversation there after Kumiko started staring off into space. It began to concern her that her friend and crush started looking so sad, but kept quiet. Hopefully her mood would pick up by lunchtime.

* * *

Unfortunately, Kumiko still looked down when Reina saw her at lunch. She had her arms up on the table, resting her chin in one of her hands, her gaze unfocused. Whatever Hazuki and Midori were saying, it was only half being paid attention to.

When Reina sat down, she also noticed that Kumiko had no food in front of her. She teased her, "Did you eat already? That was fast."

"No," Kumiko replied. "I'm not hungry."

That was definitely unusual. "Are you not feeling well?" Reina asked, immediately concerned. "Or is your mouth bothering you again?"

"I'm fine. And it's better. I'm just not hungry."

Kumiko didn't have much else to say, so Reina started eating her lunch as Hazuki and Midori started their usual animated chatter.

"How is your quest for a boyfriend going, Hazuki?" Midori innocently asked.

Hazuki flinched a bit. "Ack, you just had to remind me!" she cried, dramatically placing the back of her hand on her forehead. "Not so good. Apparently asking blood types isn't actually a good idea. People think it's kinda creepy." She then smacked her other hand down on the table. "You know how some people have workout buddies? Maybe if we all try finding guys at the same time, we'll have better luck."

Reina glanced at Kumiko and saw her uncomfortable and very tired expression. "No thanks," was all she said.

"I'm not interested in having a boyfriend," Reina stated, still looking at Kumiko, hoping to get a point across—but it seemed ineffective.

"My only love is Tuba-kun!" Midori proclaimed.

"Tuba-kun? What the heck is that?" Hazuki asked in bewilderment.

"He's an adorable mascot from Japan!" Midori exclaimed, holding up her phone that had a case adorned with a cute pattern of the character. "You're in an anime club and they've never mentioned him?"

"We just watch shows, not talk about weird character things."

"He's not weird! He is precious!"

"Okay, okay," Hazuki relented. She then remembered something. "Oh, I had a question for you, Kumiko!"

"Please don't let it be about Shuuichi," Kumiko said, trying and slightly failing to hide her annoyance.

If Hazuki was affected by her tone, she didn't show it. "I wanted to know—you like The Protomen, right?"

"Yeah, I do."

"They're gonna be playing at that venue we saw Panic at the Disco at later this month. We should go!"

"I dunno. That venue is like 2 hours away, and the last time we went, my sister happened to be home and drove us in her car."

"Oh, that's right. So your car's a no-go?"

"It's not really reliable enough for a trip that far."

"Is there any way you could rope your sister in?"

"No… Sorry," Kumiko said, looking sad.

Hazuki didn't press the issue. "Aw, okay. No biggie. Just thought I'd ask!"

Hazuki and Midori continued their excited discussion. The former said that Midori needed to expand her musical knowledge while the latter claimed that Hazuki needed to expand her knowledge of cute mascot characters. While that conversation occurred, Reina could feel Kumiko's leg jittering even more than it was earlier in class. She placed her hand on it in an attempt to calm and comfort the other girl.

Kumiko jumped at the contact. "Sorry," she said, stopping her movements.

"It's alright. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

* * *

Kumiko was not fine.

Especially not now, clutching at the sink in the girl's bathroom. She was glad that she hadn't eaten or she might have thrown up by now, but also regretted _not_ eating since she was shaking from low blood sugar, on top of the anxiety.

Kumiko had been heading to her next class like normal when the familiar sensation of panic began to rise within her, causing her heart to race and her throat and chest to constrict. She dashed into a nearby bathroom and had been there for the past 15 minutes, trying to calm down, but having no luck in doing so. She tried her usual breathing exercises, but it was currently hard to take full deep breaths.

Her backpack sat against the wall, having been thoroughly rifled through looking for her anti-anxiety medicine. How could she not have it? Kumiko cursed her own stupidity—it was one of the what felt like hundreds of thoughts currently racing through her head as she paced around the bathroom. She was dumb for not having her medicine, she was dumb for failing another test, she was dumb for liking—

Fortunately and unfortunately, of all people, Reina happened to walk in. "Oh! Hi, Kumiko," she greeted, glad to see her. Her joy immediately vanished as she took in Kumiko's obvious anxious and haggard appearance. "Are you okay?"

"…No," Kumiko responded, unable to lie. "I'm having a panic attack."

"A panic attack?" Reina repeated, eyes widening. She quickly approached. "Have you had one before?"

"A few times." They had started freshmen year, but since calmed down after a bit of therapy and medication. However, panic liked to still rear its ugly head, usually at the most inopportune moments… like at school, and now in front of the girl she liked.

"Do you want me to take you to the nurse?" Reina asked, extremely concerned.

"No, there's not much they can do…" Kumiko took another shaky breath. "I just have to wait it out." She was about to start pacing again, before realizing, "I need to sit down."

Reina felt helpless as she watched Kumiko slump against the wall. After taking care of the business she came in the bathroom for, and washing her hands, she sat down next to her visibly shaking friend.

Kumiko raised her head, surprised. "Shouldn't you get back to class?"

"This is more important than class," Reina said with soft conviction, rubbing slow circles on Kumiko's upper back.

Under normal circumstances, Reina's words and physical contact might have made her nervous, but Kumiko currently appreciated the comforting touch. "Thanks…"

The two sat there for a while as Kumiko kept shaking. Her teeth chattered, but not from cold. It was difficult to take full, deep breaths, like a snake had coiled around her lungs. She also felt like crying, but didn't want to have a complete breakdown in front of Reina. The events of this week and this panic attack were currently overwhelming her, along with the barrage of negative thoughts racing through her head.

"I wish my brain would shut up," Kumiko quietly whined.

That gave Reina an idea. She pulled out her phone and brought up Twitter, quickly locating an account she followed dedicated to regularly posting puppy pictures. "Here. Maybe this will help distract you."

Kumiko couldn't help but laugh, as shaky as it was. "That _is_ a cute puppy," she commented, trying to focus on the screen.

"Right?" Reina gently smiled, scrolling down. "Look at this one. He's wearing a tie."

"Aww," Kumiko cooed. "Do you like dogs?"

"Yes. Huskies are my favorite," Reina answered.

Kumiko weakly smiled back, thinking Reina was as cute as the puppies on screen. That, combined with deep breathing, and Reina still rubbing her back, she was starting to calm down.

10 more minutes passed, and Kumiko's shaking had mostly subsided. "Whew," she breathed out. She felt a little better, but now greatly fatigued—panic attacks usually did that to her. "I want to go home. But Natsuki needs a ride…"

"Yuuko drives me home. She can ride with us," Reina immediately suggested.

"Really? That wouldn't be too much trouble? You know how those two don't get along…"

"It's fine," Reina reassured. "I know she wouldn't mind."

"Okay, if you say so," Kumiko relented. "Thanks a lot," she said with extreme gratitude.

"No problem."

Kumiko stood back up, grabbing her book bag and zipping it back up. "I guess I'll get going…"

"I'll walk with you to your car," Reina offered.

Kumiko was surprised again. "You don't have to…"

"I want to."

The two of them made a quiet journey out of the school, the only sounds being the echoes of their footsteps in the hallway. When everyone else was in class, it was peaceful, yet also eerie. During their walk, Reina gently held onto Kumiko's elbow, but the latter didn't think too much of it since she was preoccupied with trying to keep the panic from rising again.

They quickly located Kumiko's dated and dented car in the parking lot. "Go home and get some rest," Reina said. "And maybe eat something."

"Yeah, good idea," Kumiko agreed, very appreciative. "Thanks for helping me out."

"You're welcome." Reina then did what she didn't have the courage to do two weeks ago—she gave Kumiko a hug. The taller girl was thrown off balance for a moment, but quickly returned the embrace. Again being in Kumiko's arms felt extremely nice, but Reina stepped back before it lasted too long to become weird. "I hope you feel better."

"Me too…" Kumiko said, still recovering from the sudden contact. She smiled at Reina, her eyes soft but also tired. "Thanks again."

"Anytime."

* * *

It was Friday, band practice. Natsuki had a plan.

"Hey, Asuka," she said, shuffling up to the senior. Natsuki pulled her aside to ask, "What's your read on Kousaka? Does she give off any gay vibes to you?"

"Hmm," Asuka replied, placing her hand on her chin. She tried to not obviously stare at the girl across the room who was preoccupied with talking with Yuuko. "I'm not sure. She's a tough one to crack."

"And here I thought you were the master," Natsuki quipped.

"My powers only go so far," Asuka shrugged. "I think this one needs more careful observation."

"That's what I was thinking. Don't worry, I got this covered."

"Good luck!" Asuka saluted.

Natsuki made her way over to Reina and Yuuko. "Hello, horn blowers!"

"Hi, Natsuki," Reina greeted with a smile.

"Hello, Natsuki," Yuuko greeted with a grimace. "What do you want?"

"Good to see you too," Natsuki replied, unfazed. "I wanted to ask Kousaka something."

Yuuko exaggeratedly grabbed onto her friend. "Don't get mixed up with Natsuki, Reina. She's clearly a bad influence."

"Yeah, I probably am," Natsuki shrugged, grinning. "But I was trying to be nice and spare your feelings since you're not invited." She addressed Reina, ignoring that Yuuko was still standing there and hadn't taken the hint to leave, "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me and Kumiko for a bit after practice—"

"She would love to!" Yuuko over enthusiastically answered for her friend, also pushing her forward.

"Okay… So do you actually want to?" Natsuki asked Reina.

Reina shooed her annoying but well-meaning friend away. "Yes, I do," she answered for herself. "Does Kumiko know about this?"

"Absolutely! It was her idea!"

After that invite, Natsuki sauntered over to her best friend.

"Hey, kiddo. We're still on for TQ and Game Cavern, right?"

"Right," Kumiko answered, not looking up from her notes.

"Good, cause Kousaka's joining us!"

That got Kumiko's full attention. "Really? Not that I mind, but… Why'd you invite her?"

"Is it so wrong to want to get to know the _friend_ of a friend better? I wanna see what makes her so _special_."

Kumiko eyed her suspiciously. "I guess that's fine."

* * *

The three of them stopped at TQ—a local convenience store usually frequented by students due to their cheap snacks and drinks. "Slushies are on me!" Natsuki proclaimed as they walked in, as if she was doing a grand gesture of kindness.

"Wow, you're really breaking the bank," Kumiko said sarcastically, pointing at the sign that said 'only 89 cents.'

"Shut up."

The mornings were cold, but the afternoons were mild. The three of them sat at a table outside the store to enjoy their drinks and chat. Kumiko opened the bag of the snack she got. "Slushies and hot fries are the best combination," she informed Reina.

"Good to know," Reina smiled, glad to see her appetite was back.

Natsuki spoke up, "Hey, Kousaka, I've got a question for you. What's your opinion of people who only like Coke-flavored slushies?"

Reina looked confused. "I… don't have an opinion…?"

"What's your problem with the Coke flavor?" Kumiko asked. "I like them."

"They're fine, but when you go and get a slushie, and the machine's only got Coke flavor, doesn't it make you go 'screw that'?"

"You're a weirdo," Kumiko said.

"Says the _bigger_ weirdo," Natsuki shot back. "Don't you think she's a weirdo, Kousaka?"

"I do," Reina agreed. Kumiko looked mildly offended at that. "By the way, you can just call me Reina."

"Nah, I like calling you Kousaka—if you don't mind. I think it's fun."

"Well, okay. I guess I don't mind."

"You don't have to let her bully you, Reina. You can tell her when she's being a pain," Kumiko said, then took a sip of her slushie. "I can drink through a straw again!" she cheered, referring to the dentist's orders not to do so for a couple of days.

"What flavor did you get?" Reina asked.

"Blue raspberry," she answered. "What about yours?"

"It's white cherry." Reina suddenly got a great idea. "Did you want to try it?"

"Oh, sure," Kumiko said, starting to pull the straw out of her own cup.

"That'll mix the flavors. You can just use my straw."

"Oh… okay…" Kumiko took a sip. "That's pretty good."

"It is," Reina agreed before slowly and deliberately placing her lips back onto her straw, still looking at the other girl.

Natsuki nearly spit out her own drink after witnessing the scene in front of her. This was definitely an interesting development.

* * *

The trio were now at the game store, having possibly ingested too much sugar. Natsuki wanted to stop in to find something new to occupy herself over the weekend. She perused the PS4 section, apparently looking for something in particular. "Oh, here we go," she said, grabbing a case. "You gonna get anything?" she asked Kumiko.

"Nah," she responded. "I don't have the money right now."

"How about I buy you something?" Natsuki offered, knowing that her friend had a particularly crappy week. "Under $20, of course." Her generosity did have its limits and a budget, however. "I still owe you a little extra for the rides."

"I'd rather have you buy my lunches."

"Always with you and food." Natsuki turned to Reina and vaguely gestured at her best bud. "Have you noticed how much this girl eats?"

"I have," Reina replied amusedly.

"Natsuki, can you give me a break?" Kumiko said, starting to feel tired.

"I'm just wondering where it all goes. It's certainly not going in the places you want it to." She gestured around her chest area.

Kumiko punched her friend in the arm. "Shut _up_." She quickly recovered, "Anyway, I don't need a new game. I'm playing Dark Souls right now."

"You've been playing that game for like a damn year," Natsuki retorted. "When are you gonna beat it?"

"Look, man…" Kumiko made some vague hand gestures and an 'ehhh' noise, looking for an excuse, before settling on, "It's a hard game."

"Maybe you need to get good," Reina teasingly suggested.

"Oh, _damn!_ " Natsuki exclaimed with a laugh. She put a friendly hand on the shorter girl's shoulder. "Y'know, I like you, Kousaka."

"Thanks," Reina smiled, glad to have the approval of Kumiko's best friend.

"You like her too, right, kid?" Natsuki asked Kumiko, slightly taunting and grinning wolfishly.

"I do," Kumiko said, trying to keep an unamused expression instead of blushing due to Natsuki's obvious insinuation. "Come on, pay for whatever you're getting and let's go."

* * *

"Nice place," Natsuki said as they pulled up to Reina's house.

"Thanks for inviting me along. It was fun," Reina said, addressing them both.

"Anytime!" Natsuki answered before Kumiko had a chance to open her mouth. "Let's hang out more often."

Reina nodded in agreement before turning to Kumiko with a soft smile, placing a hand on her upper arm. "You're feeling better now, right?"

"Yeah," Kumiko smiled back at her.

"I'm glad. Well…" Reina trailed off, then removed her hand after a long moment. "I'll see you Monday. Bye."

And with that, she grabbed her bag and trumpet case, exited the car, and headed to her front door. Kumiko watched her walk away, thinking about how nice her touch had felt and how she didn't want it to go away.

Natsuki crawled up to sit in the front. "Kumiko," she said, giving her friend a fond but exasperated look. "Are you an idiot?"

"Huh?" Kumiko said, snapping out of her daze. "What was that for?"

"Kousaka was obviously flirting with you."

"What?! No way! That's… she's just… what are you talking about?!"

"Chill out. I'm talking about this." Natsuki mimicked what she saw Reina do—tenderly caressing Kumiko's arm and letting the touch linger.

It made Kumiko's skin crawl, and not in a good way. "Ew. It's creepy when _you_ do it."

"Thanks," Natsuki said sarcastically. "Does she do that to you a lot?"

"Huh… Come to think of it…" Realization dawned on her as she did a quick mental overview of all the times Reina had touched her over the course of the week. It was a lot. "But that doesn't mean anything," she tried to rationalize. "What if she's just being friendly?"

"I dunno, it seemed pretty flirty to me. And the thing with the straw…"

"What about it?"

"Wow, you're dense." Natsuki shook her head in disbelief. "Anyway… not saying to get your hopes up, but… maybe your girl's not as straight as you think."

Kumiko sat there, slack-jawed. Had Reina been flirting with her this whole time and she didn't realize it? Could she actually be interested? The spark of hope returned, even if it was slightly dim.

Maybe the week hadn't been so bad after all.


	6. Border of Insanity

Yuuko's first question for her friend on Monday morning was, "How are things going with Kumiko?"

"Either I'm doing something wrong or she doesn't like me in that way," Reina sighed, resting her chin in her hand and looking out the car window.

"She could also be extremely dense," Yuuko bluntly stated.

"Aw, be nice." She tried to reason, "Just because she likes girls doesn't mean she likes _me_."

The blonde looked aghast at the idea. "She'd have to be dumb _not_ to like you!" she cried. "Seriously, you're a catch!"

"Thank you…" Reina said, feeling flattered, before adding with a laugh, "Maybe you're right, then, that she is dense."

"Keep up the flirting," Yuuko ordered, pointing a finger into the air. "She's sure to notice eventually."

"Alright." Reina fidgeted with her hands. "Actually, I was going to invite her to have dinner at my house later this week."

"With your parents?"

"Yes. They want to meet her."

Yuuko laughed. "But you guys aren't dating… yet."

Reina blushed at the thought before recovering, "I think they're just really happy that I've made a new friend. Do you think it's a good idea?"

"Sure, why not!" She shrugged. "If she does like you, though, hopefully it doesn't freak her out too much."

...

Kumiko started internally freaking out after Reina asked her during 2nd period, "Would you like to have dinner at my house on Wednesday?"

"Dinner? Like with your parents?"

"Yes," Reina confirmed.

This time, Kumiko noticed how much Reina had entered her personal space. "S-sure! That sounds good."

Reina moved back a bit, nodding with a satisfied smile. Her gaze wandered down to Kumiko's mouth. "Your lips look a little chapped," she matter-of-factly stated. It was now November, the weather and wind outside now beginning to have that biting chill that would dry up most anyone's skin.

"Do they?"

The trumpeter reached into her bag to pull out something. "Here. You can use some of my chapstick."

"Are you sure?" Kumiko asked, already holding her hand out, and Reina placed it in her palm. "Well, okay… Thanks."

After applying the lip balm, she handed it back to Reina… who then immediately used it herself, all the while giving Kumiko that familiar intense stare.

Kumiko nearly fell out of her seat from shock. Holy shit, she thought. That seemed like some hardcore flirting. Was Natsuki actually right?

...

It was now Wednesday evening. It had gotten there way too quickly, but also felt like an eternity.

Kumiko sat in her car for a few minutes outside of Reina's house, psyching herself up before going inside. She rechecked her appearance in the mirror again, fixing her hair to the best of her ability. She was quite nervous to meet Reina's parents—so nervous, in fact, that she had to take one of her anti-anxiety pills beforehand.

She knew that first impressions were extremely important. Especially if, by some miracle, Reina could actually become her girlfriend. It still felt a crazy dream, but one that she wanted to hold on to. After a few more deep breaths, she got out and headed towards the front door.

She was not kept waiting long after ringing the doorbell. "Hi there," Reina happily greeted after opening the door.

"Heyo," Kumiko replied, pushing her nervousness down as best she could. The powers of modern medicine were on her side as the pill had taken some effect. She stepped inside. "I'm not late, am I?"

"You're right on time." Reina led the way to the dining room. "The food's almost ready."

"Oh, good, cause I'm hungry!" Before Reina could retort, Kumiko beat her to it, "Yeah, I know, when am I not hungry?"

Reina laughed at that. "Mom, Kumiko's here," she announced.

"Hello!" a woman of short stature and incredible beauty warmly greeted her. It was quite obvious where Reina had gotten her good looks from. "So you're the Kumiko we've heard so much about!"

"You have?" she asked, raising her eyebrows, giving Reina a questioning look.

"Not that much," she quietly huffed, already embarrassed.

"I'm Miki," Reina's mother introduced herself. "And that over there," she said fondly as she pointed to the man sitting at the table, "is Soujiro."

Soujiro looked up from his tablet. "Hello," he said with a wave.

"Thank you for having me," Kumiko said politely.

"Of course! Any friend of our dear Reina is more than welcome!" Mrs. Kousaka said happily. Kumiko hid her smirk at the 'dear Reina.' "We're having fish tonight," she informed the brunette as she wiped her hands with a dish towel. "I hope that's alright."

"Yes, that's fine. I'm not a picky eater," Kumiko said while nervously scratching the back of her head.

"No kidding," Reina managed to get in a playful jab in about her eating habits.

"You girls can go ahead and sit down." She asked Kumiko, "What would you like to drink?"

"Water is fine, thank you."

Kumiko sat down at one end of the table, Reina on her right and Mr. Kousaka on her left. He was a man of average build, and didn't appear to be very tall, but he had an intense presence.

"So, you're in band too?" he asked, scratching at his goatee. His dark hair was peppered with some gray spots from age.

"Yes, sir," Kumiko replied. "I play the euphonium."

"Every euph player I've ever met has been a huge weirdo," Soujiro said with utmost seriousness. "Is that accurate?"

She awkwardly chuckled. "Well…"

"Yes, she's weird," Reina answered.

"Hey," Kumiko responded, mildly offended, but unable to disagree. "Natsuki and Asuka are probably weirder." She clarified for Reina's father, "They're my friends who also play euph."

Soujiro let out a hearty laugh and slapped his knee. His volume and sudden change in demeanor caught Kumiko by surprise. "You gotta love when people fit their instrument stereotypes! Like how all trumpet players are huge pains in the ass," he said, as if he and his daughter did not play the trumpet. He asked Reina, "Are the others in your section still giving you a hard time, honey?"

"It's gotten better," she answered, slightly embarrassed at her father using that term of endearment for her in front of her crush. "And I've been friends with Yuuko, too—she also plays the trumpet. Do you remember her?"

"Oh, that's right. I haven't seen her in a while, but I guess I haven't been around lately. She's the one who always wears the ribbons, right?" Reina nodded. "She's a little spitfire, though, isn't she?"

"She is, but she's very sweet," Reina said, to which Kumiko nodded in agreement (to the first part).

Soujiro continued to question Kumiko, "How long have you been playing?"

"Since 3rd grade. I originally wanted to play the trombone, like my older sister, but ended up being assigned the euphonium. Somehow it stuck," she added with a light laugh.

"It's funny how some people end up playing their instruments," he chuckled. "Do you think you want to play professionally?"

Kumiko tried not to think too much about her future plans—as in, she currently didn't have any real ones. "Ah… I'm not sure. I've thought about becoming a music teacher, working with kids."

Soujiro nodded, hopefully in approval. "Teaching is a noble calling. I sure can't do it, but kids would probably be easier to deal with than some of the chuckleheads I've worked with." He told Reina, "You need to hurry up and graduate high school so you can go outplay some of those guys, honey. You're already past their level."

"She should go to college, dear," Miki spoke up from the kitchen.

"Who needs college when you've got talent?"

"Set a good example, dear."

"Hey, if you remember, I didn't go to college!" He said to the girls, "Heck, I nearly didn't finish high school 'cause I wanted to play instead of go to class." Trying to adapt a more dad-like tone, he added, "But hey, stay in school, kids."

Kumiko laughed at that, more of her nervousness dissipating. Reina's parents were certainly interesting, especially compared to her own. Her father was definitely different—more uptight and focused on the value of a college degree, who usually read the newspaper at the dinner table. Their mothers seemed more similar, although Kumiko's was probably a lot less doting. Most of her parents' positive attention had and still went to her sister.

Soon enough, dinner was ready. Mrs. Kousaka had prepared some baked salmon, rolls, and some sort of sweet-potato-vegetable casserole. The smell of good food filled the room.

"Thank you very much," Kumiko said appreciatively, admiring the meal in front of her. "This looks great."

"Oh, it's nothing special," Miki said dismissively before sitting down at the other end of the table. "Tell us more about yourself, dear."

Kumiko paused, her fork mid-stab. "Um… what would you like to know?"

From the moment Kumiko walked in, she couldn't help but feel that she was being sized up. It's not like she was Reina's girlfriend or anything. It was like a few steps had been skipped… Were they just overprotective parents that did this for all of their daughter's friends?

"Did you grow up around here?" Miki began. "You don't have much of an accent."

"Yes, ma'am, I did. My family's lived in the same house since I was… 5 years old, I think?"

"What do your parents do for a living?"

"My dad does administrative work for… some manufacturing company. I always forget the name of it, heh. My mom's a receptionist at a medical office. They both work a lot."

"I hear that," Mr. Kousaka chimed in before taking a sip of his beer.

Miki continued, "Have you decided what college you might attend?"

"Er… uh… no, not yet." At this rate, if she didn't decide to pursue music education, she might end up at the local community college, if anywhere at all.

"Well, that's alright," Miki softly smiled. "You've still got some time to figure it out. Let's see, what else…"

"Mom," Reina spoke up. "Please give Kumiko a break with the questions and let her eat."

"But I want to know everything about your _friend_ , darling!" Kumiko noticed the inflection in her word choice. Mrs. Kousaka then stared Kumiko down, her smile not quite reaching her eyes for a moment, as she cut her fish with precision. "You drive safely when my dear Reina is with you, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kumiko quickly answered.

"And you're not mixed up in any funny business, are you? Like drinking or drugs."

Kumiko thought back to the only time she had ever done drugs, which was when she smoked weed with Natsuki and Asuka and, instead of feeling good, got extremely paranoid from doing so. They ended up watching Shrek while super high and it was a nightmarish experience that she never wanted to relive again. Hearing Smash Mouth's "All Star" was like the equivalent of having a war flashback.

"No, ma'am," she quickly answered again.

"Good! Oh, and you don't have to call me 'ma'am'—it makes me feel so old. You can call me Miki! Or, better yet, you can call me Mom!"

"Ah, haha…" Kumiko awkwardly laughed again, looking mildly uncomfortable. "I'll stick with Miki, if that's alright."

"It's more than alright, dear. I do like that you're so polite, though. And you're very cute, too." She said to her daughter, "You know how to pick them, honey!"

Reina stared into her glass, wishing that she could hide in it.

"You can keep calling me sir," Mr. Kousaka said with a straight face before laughing. "Ha! No, Soujiro's fine." He quickly got serious again, his purple eyes piercing into her very soul. "As long as you take good care of my daughter."

Kumiko leaned further back in her chair, thoroughly intimidated. "Ahaha… yes, sir… we're very good… friends…" She didn't like adding that qualifier at the end, but it was what was currently accurate.

Soujiro looked satisfied as he took another sip of his beer. Meanwhile, Reina nearly died of embarrassment. She was currently of no help to Kumiko, who was giving her a confused and pleading look.

"How is the fish?" Miki asked Kumiko.

"It's delicious. Thank you," Kumiko answered before continuing to try and eat, her sudden fright affecting her appetite.

...

After dinner, Mr. Kousaka retired to his office after receiving a work-related phone call and Mrs. Kousaka disappeared somewhere else in the home, leaving the girls alone. Reina led Kumiko into the den that was used mostly as an entertainment space, judging by the speaker set-up around the room. Kumiko was impressed with the size of the TV. Again, she wondered how much money Reina's parents made. Clearly they were both quite successful in their chosen fields of music and writing.

Kumiko cleared her throat. "Your parents are nice." She added after a moment, "And interesting."

"They're mostly embarrassing," Reina responded, flopping down on the leather couch. "Sorry about that."

"Ha, it's okay." She grinned, also sitting down. "They sure do love you." It was quite obvious that Reina was their only and very beloved daughter. Reina shot her an unamused glare. "It's sweet. 'Dear' Reina."

"Shut up," Reina said, even more embarrassed at hearing that come out of Kumiko's mouth. "When do you have to get home?"

Kumiko checked the time on her watch. "I can hang out here a few more hours, if you want me to. What did you want to do?"

Reina picked up a DVD case off the coffee table, showing it to Kumiko. "We could watch a movie. This one was recommended to me by Yuuko. She said it was really good."

"Do you trust her taste?" she asked, brutally honest as usual.

"I do." In fact, Yuuko had picked out this movie specifically for her to watch with Kumiko, claiming that it would help her out. It was some sort of teen drama with a focus on romance.

"Alrighty," Kumiko responded. "Pop it in."

It was a bit cold in the den, so they shared a blanket as they watched the movie. Throughout the film, Reina subtly scooted closer and closer to the other girl. Kumiko became instantly aware of her presence when their arms touched. Soon enough, Reina began clinging to her arm, snuggling against her.

Whatever was happening on screen was not being paid attention to at all by Kumiko since Reina then began holding her hand and slowly rubbing circles on the top of it with her thumb.

Kumiko's mind was going haywire. After the idea was put in her head that Reina could be flirting with her, she had started overanalyzing every interaction between them. This moment seemed definitely more than platonic, but the cloud of doubt still loomed over her. Was she reading too much into this? Was Reina just an affectionate person with her close friends? Was she just cold? Was she overthinking everything? Was Reina was actually into her? Was she losing her mind?

At this point, Reina was now resting her head on her shoulder. Yep, she was definitely losing her mind—but in a good way. Whatever the intentions behind Reina's actions were, she did not want it to stop.

Just like the wait for Wednesday, the movie felt too short but also like an eternity.

As the credits rolled, Reina lifted her head and looked up at Kumiko to ask, "What'd you think?"

"Erm… it was good," Kumiko said with no confidence, hoping that Reina would elaborate so she could figure out what had actually occurred in the movie while she wasn't paying attention. She was also hoping that Reina would not move and keep holding on to her arm—even if she wasn't sure if her poor little heart could handle the other girl being so close. "What about you?"

"I thought it was alright. I can see why Yuuko would like it, but I can't really relate to a lot of high school movies."

"Why's that?"

"There's always a huge focus on dating and relationships, and I don't have any experience with any of that."

"You do seem the type that would be too busy for romance," Kumiko quipped, nudging her playfully with her knee.

Reina sheepishly smiled. "It's not that. It's just…" She got quieter, "Everyone makes such a big deal about their 'first kiss.' It seems so silly and unnecessary."

"Yeah, I guess that's true. It gets all hyped up," Kumiko agreed before looking a bit smug and giving a thumbs-up. "But I already had mine, so I'm not too worried about it, heh."

"Are they really all they're cracked up to be?"

"Hm, well, mine was pretty awkward."

"You're pretty awkward in general."

"Gee, thanks."

Reina took a deep breath. It was now or never. "…What's it like to kiss a girl?"

"Um." Kumiko gulped. "It's nice."

"Is it?"

At this close proximity, there was no way that Kumiko could've missed Reina glancing down at her lips before darting back up to her eyes. Her heart started racing and sirens started going off in her head. Oh god, oh god, oh god, her brain screamed, was this actually happening?

"Yeah…" Kumiko softly breathed out, the air around them starting to feel thinner.

The already-short distance between the two began to slowly close, their half-lidded gazes focused on the other's lips.

However, the moment was interrupted with the loud ringing of Kumiko's cell phone.

Kumiko jumped back with a startled scream. She reached into her pocket for her phone with a shaking hand. The caller ID read 'Dad,' so she had to answer. "H-hello?"

Reina could overhear the voice of Kumiko's father on the other end, _"Where are you?"_

"I'm at Reina's house," she answered, trying to mask her quaking voice and calm her heart down. "I had dinner with her family."

 _"You don't need to be at a friend's house right now, especially on a school night,"_ Mr. Oumae firmly replied.

"Err… I told mom, and she said it was okay—"

 _"I heard about that test you failed last week. Do you have your homework done?"_

Kumiko flinched. "Um…"

 _"That's what I thought. I want you home, right now, on the double."_

"Yes, sir…" Kumiko quietly replied before bidding her father goodbye and hitting 'end call.' She resembled a sad puppy that had gotten reprimanded by its master. She sighed. "I gotta go."

"Okay," Reina said, hiding her disappointment. "I'll walk you out."

Kumiko grabbed her jacket off the coat rack near the foyer, not wanting to leave it behind since it was cold outside. Her hands were still shaking. After doing the standard double-check of her pockets, she said to Reina, "This was fun. Tell your parents thanks again for me."

"Will do."

The girls stood there for a moment, wanting to hug the other goodbye, but neither wanting to make the first move.

"Well, uh…" Kumiko broke the silence, shuffling towards the door. "See you tomorrow!"

"Bye."

...

The next morning, Kumiko was outside Natsuki's house waiting, as usual.

After Natsuki got into the car and sat down, Kumiko hadn't started talking yet, so the redhead asked, "How'd dinner go with your gal pal? You met her folks, right?" She took a long sip of coffee.

"It was good. Her parents are nice. We watched a movie." Kumiko paused. "I think she wanted to kiss me."

Natsuki started choking on her drink. Why did her friend keep doing this to her? After several coughs, she wheezed out, _"What?!_ "

"Maybe…" Her eyes darted around in panic as she raised a hand to her mouth. "I could've misread the situation…"

"A girl wanting to kiss you is a very specific situation! You should know this!"

"I dunno, man…!" She started flailing her hands around. "I'm freaking out here!"

"Why?" Natsuki asked incredulously. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"What if I'm wrong?! I'm not prepared for this to be real! Oh god!"

"Alright, let's calm down. Take a deep breath."

Kumiko twisted around to try and reach her book bag in the backseat. "I think I need my medicine—"

"You don't need your medicine." She noticed Kumiko's shaking. "Okay, maybe you do. But seriously, take a breath."

Kumiko did. She appeared calm for a few seconds before frantically clinging to her friend's shoulders with both hands. "What do I do, Natsuki?!"

"Okay, relax, relax," Natsuki tried to placate her, gently pushing her back into the driver's seat. She glanced at the time on the dashboard. "Listen, we need to get going. I don't want to get a detention cause of your useless gay ass." She raised a hand to silence her freaked out friend's attempts to speak. "Don't worry, you'll be alright. Just keep acting like you normally do around her."

...

"I'll cut to the chase," Natsuki said, pulling Yuuko aside in the hallway after the class they shared ended, "you and I have got the same problem."

"That our friends are both into each other but they're too stupid to realize it?" Yuuko deadpanned.

"Exactly. We've got to do something."

"For once, I agree with you," the blonde heavily sighed, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall behind her. "But what?"

Natsuki tapped her chin, looking devious. "How about a little… 'double date'?"

Yuuko exaggeratedly grimaced. "Ew, who'd want to go on a date with you?"

"It's not an actual date, you dolt," she immediately retorted. "Listen, I know we don't get along, but let's form a temporary truce to help these idiots out."

"I can live with that. Truce."

The two shook hands, ready to team up for the common goal of getting their hopeless friends together.


	7. Now I Know

It was now Saturday, in the late afternoon, and a brilliant plan was in motion.

"Why does it feel like you're up to something?" Kumiko questioned.

"What makes you say that?" Natsuki replied, batting her eyes innocently.

"It just seems suspicious of you to suggest that we eat and hang out with Reina and her friend that you can't stand."

"Aw, c'mon, that's not true. Yuuko is… not that bad," she said, forcing a smile, lying through her teeth. "We get along just fine."

Kumiko raised an eyebrow, having witnessed quite the opposite many times in the past. "If you say so."

"You're not nervous, are you? To see Reina, I mean."

"I'm fine. I'm gonna keep acting the same around her, like you said." She quietly added, "It also helps that I took my medicine."

"Hey, whatever works." The subject was dropped as they pulled up to their destination. "Oh, they're already here," Natsuki said as she noticed Reina and Yuuko waiting outside. She quickly rolled down the car window. "Neeeeeerrrrds!" she shouted at them as they drove by before finding a parking space.

"Was that necessary?" Yuuko asked after the euphonists approached, already irritated. She planned to play nice today, but if Natsuki was going to continue making her life difficult, she was prepared to fight back.

"Yes, it was," Natsuki replied, looking quite pleased. "Hey, Kousaka," she said with a wave, not bothering to greet Yuuko, but Kumiko acknowledged her with a nod.

"Hello," Reina replied. Her smile became fonder as she addressed the brunette, "Hi, Kumiko."

"Hey, Reina," Kumiko greeted, happily smiling back at her.

The immediate flirty atmosphere between the two was not lost on Natsuki and Yuuko. They shared a knowing glance.

It was time to get to work.

"C'mon, let's head in," Natsuki spoke up. "It's getting cold out here."

Kumiko made sure to get to the door first so she could open it for Reina. "After you," she said.

"Thank you," Reina replied, walking in, Yuuko right behind her.

"Aren't you sweet," Natsuki teased. Kumiko deliberately stepped inside before her friend. "Rude!"

The four of them entered a local family-owned Japanese restaurant. They were there per Natsuki and Kumiko's suggestion, since it was one of their favorite places to eat, and Yuuko and Reina had never been. After being greeted by the host, they were led to a booth near the window.

Natsuki and Yuuko quickly sat next to each other on one side of the booth so that their friends would be forced to sit together. No one seemed to mind.

"This is a nice place," Reina commented, looking around at the modern and clean decor.

"It is," Natsuki agreed. "The food's good and it's cheap, too. A good combo." She gave a thumbs-up. "I was the one that discovered it."

"Pretty sure it was me," Kumiko said. She grabbed the two different kinds of menus and explained, "So they have a regular menu, but depending on what you wanna get, the buffet is usually the cheaper option. You pay this flat price and you can keep ordering whatever you want off this menu." She pointed at the price and a line on it that read 'please treasure the food.'

Natsuki snickered. "Buffets are definitely ideal for you."

Kumiko loudly sighed, expecting a comment like that. "Everyone making fun of my appetite seems like a running joke at this point. Is it so wrong to enjoy eating?"

"Nah. I just do it 'cause it bugs you."

"Like you do with everything."

"You two are funny," Reina amusedly said.

"Funny-looking, maybe," Yuuko quipped, motioning towards Natsuki.

Kumiko laughed. "That sounds just like something Natsuki would say."

Yuuko dramatically gasped, as if she were seriously offended. "Don't compare me to… _her!"_

"I have a name," Natsuki rolled her eyes.

After their drink orders were placed, Yuuko teasingly asked, "How often do you guys eat here?"

"A lot," Natsuki admitted, then joked, "You know when you go to a place too much when the staff start recognizing you."

"Indeed." Kumiko nodded somberly, well aware of where most of her money went. "We actually haven't been here in a while, though."

"True. Oh, y'know where we else haven't been lately that I've been craving? Koizumi's Dog House."

"Yeah!" Kumiko wasn't passionate about many things, but this was one of them. "Have you guys ever been there?" she asked Reina and Yuuko, who both shook their heads no. "Then you're missing out. They have the best hotdogs."

"Only we really get it, dude," Natsuki said with a shrug. "No one else cares. I went with Asuka one time and she didn't seem too impressed. Maybe we hype it up too much."

"What is wrong with everyone? That place is like a diamond in the rough. I took Hazuki and Midori there too and they were like 'oh, it's just a hotdog…' No, it's not _just_ a hotdog! They got cheese on theirs and that ruins it!"

Natsuki grimaced. "Ew, cheese? That's friggin' nasty, man."

"Cheese can be good on hotdogs," Yuuko reasoned.

"Sure, but that's not the way you do it at Koizumi's Dog House," Kumiko insisted. "Anything else on it is just wrong. They have perfected their own recipe."

"You'll have to take me there, then," Reina said.

"I will," Kumiko responded with conviction, crossing her arms.

"You two should make a date out of it," Yuuko suggested with a mischievous grin.

Kumiko and Reina immediately blushed and refused to look at the other. Thankfully, they were saved from more teasing by their friends for the time being by the server returning to take their orders.

Predictably, Kumiko went with the buffet option. She pushed her plate of dumplings towards Reina and told her, "Feel free to have some. I'll let you try some of my rolls too."

"Thank you," Reina said appreciatively, smiling at her.

"You like never share your food with me, kid," Natsuki pointed out, also grinning. "Kousaka here must be _really_ _special_ to you."

"Y-you and I try each other's food here all the time," Kumiko awkwardly said, averting her eyes. "It's what friends do."

" _Friends_ , huh?"

The students enjoyed their good food and conversation, but inevitably it was time to pay. When the server asked how the checks would be split, Kumiko said 'just one,' motioning between herself and Reina.

"Huh?" Reina asked, blinking in confusion.

Kumiko pulled out her wallet and fondly smiled at her. "I got you covered."

"You don't have to do that…"

"It's fine. I want to."

Natsuki and Yuuko shared another look, this one saying 'for real?'. Would this be easier than they thought? Then again, their friends were extremely dumb.

"Don't expect me to pay for you, though," Natsuki matter-of-factly informed the blonde.

"As if I'd accept it!"

...

"That hit the spot!" Natsuki said, thoroughly satisfied, stretching her arms. Her warm happiness was then interrupted by a sudden gust of icy air. "Shit, it got even colder!"

Ignoring Natsuki's complaining, Yuuko asked, "Where to now?"

"Hm… oh, hey, why don't we walk down to Mr. C's and take a look?" Natsuki pointed at a store down at the other end of the shopping plaza. "They might've gotten some cool stuff traded in."

"I haven't been in there before," Reina said.

"It's a pretty neat store," Kumiko told her. She noticed the smaller girl's visible shivering. "Are you cold?"

"A little bit." Reina ended up not being adequately dressed for this weather, having only two thin layers underneath her pea coat.

"Do you want my jacket?" Kumiko asked her, already removing it and not waiting for an actual answer.

"Then won't you be cold?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I'm warm enough."

"Okay…" Reina gave in, putting the jacket on and trying to hide her blushing face in the collar. "Thank you…"

While this scene occurred, Natsuki and Yuuko watched, shaking their heads in disbelief. Were these two _seriously_ not dating already?

The four of them entered Mr. C's, a local buy-and-trade store for books and other things. It was a good place to find hidden gems. Natsuki led the way over to the section for video games, on the hunt for anything that could be added to her collection.

Kumiko asked her, "See anything interesting?"

"Hmm…" She crouched down and scanned the shelves. "Oh, hey! I've been looking for this one. It's that one DS game made by Platinum—"

"You know, Natsuki," Yuuko spoke up, wanting to push her buttons, "maybe you should practice more instead of playing video games all the time."

Natsuki squinted her eyes at her in annoyance. Clearly the limits of their truce were being tested. "Hey, I mostly play the euph for fun. Not all of us want to go pro. Right?" she asked Kumiko for back-up.

"…Right," Kumiko replied, unsure, reminded again about her lack of career plans. She had started thinking more on the subject after being grilled on it by the Kousakas. "We're not as amazing as you guys," she said to the trumpeters.

"That's not true," Reina instantly replied.

"If you say so..."

Yuuko smugly smiled in Natsuki's direction. "I _am_ pretty amazing."

"Amazingly annoying," the redhead shot back.

Putting the game she found back on the shelf for now, Natsuki walked into a different section. "Here's what I'm talkin' about," she said. "Bargain CDs."

"Who buys CDs anymore?" Yuuko asked, smirking. "Seriously, get with the times."

"Y'know… you're starting to get on my nerves."

"Am I?"

"I play CDs in my car," Kumiko said with an uncomfortable chuckle, trying to dispel any possible conflict. Her efforts were in vain, though. She changed her focus to flipping through some boxes in the nearby record section, browsing the music of yesteryear.

Reina recalled seeing some records on Kumiko's shelves during their sleepover. She stepped up beside the brunette to ask her, "How come you collect vinyls?"

"I think they're cool," Kumiko answered, pulling a record out of its sleeve to inspect it. "I like the covers, too. I have a record player, but they're a bit of a pain to actually play."

"They are," Reina agreed, glad that technology had advanced. She then commented, "You and Natsuki seem to know all the most interesting places to eat at and go to."

"Ah, well… like Yuuko said, it's cause we don't really practice hardcore. So we've got a lot of time on our hands. Probably too much, actually."

"Still…" She placed her hand on Kumiko's arm, looking up at her with shining eyes. "I want us to go to all your favorite places together."

"S-sure," Kumiko replied, her heart fluttering. "That sounds great."

Despite their bickering, the juniors still witnessed that moment between them. Natsuki motioned for Yuuko to follow her into the next aisle over.

Natsuki loudly whispered, "Can you believe those two?"

"They're ridiculous."

"I gotta give your friend props for her A-game, though."

"She's way better than yours."

"Hey, no way. You saw mine in action at the restaurant! She was on fire! Plus, I'm pretty sure she turned _your_ friend gay."

"Why does it sound like you're bragging?"

Natsuki, filled with pride, pretended to wipe a tear away. "Asuka and I taught her so well…"

Yuuko rolled her eyes. "What should we do now?"

"Let's see…" Natsuki made her way back over to the not-yet-couple, Yuuko following behind, and asked them, "You guys gonna get anything?" They both responded with a no. "Then why don't we head over to the mall next since it's right nearby?" she suggested, pointing her thumb in its vague general direction.

Kumiko remembered a thought she had back near the beginning of the school year. "That's a good idea. You really need some new clothes, Natsuki."

"Oh my god, I know!" Yuuko cried. "She's _always_ wearing the same things."

"Hey, I mix and match," Natsuki tried to defend herself. She was indeed wearing the same shirt she had on yesterday, and the day before… and the day before that. Since she had a jacket on, surely no one would notice. "Besides, clothes at the mall are way too expensive."

"We can find stuff on sale," Kumiko offered.

"Or just try things on! It'll be fun!" Yuuko suggested.

Kumiko asked Reina, "Does that sound good to you?"

"Yes, that sounds fun," Reina responded.

"Alright, then let's go," Natsuki declared before adding with another grin, "Oh, let's stick with separate cars. Why don't you kids ride together?"

Kumiko gave her a suspicious look, but obviously wouldn't complain about that setup. "Sure, that's fine."

...

At a somewhat affordable clothing store in the mall, Yuuko enthusiastically suggested to Kumiko and Reina, "You two should share a dressing room!"

Kumiko paused. "Why would we do that?"

"Well… uh… to make room for other shoppers!"

"There's no one else around," Reina pointed out.

As the sophomores entered separate dressing rooms, Natsuki pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is that really the best you've got?" she asked Yuuko.

"It's better than _your_ efforts," she snapped back.

"I'm practically _leading_ the charge here—"

"That's because—"

As the duo continued arguing, they missed their intended targets complimenting each other's appearances in the items they had tried on.

Natsuki was eventually coerced into getting some shirts that weren't flannel or had band logos on them. They continued strolling around the mall until Yuuko suggested one of her favorite stores that had some cute jewelry. Inside, Natsuki grumbled that this stuff wasn't to her usual taste, but Yuuko ignored her.

Kumiko noticed Reina looking at a particular item. Quickly making her way beside her, she asked, "Whatcha lookin' at?"

"This necklace." She pointed it out. "I think it's cute."

"It is," Kumiko agreed. "You gonna get it?"

"No, I don't have enough money on me," Reina said, disappointed.

Kumiko wished that she could've bought it for her right then and there, but she also didn't have enough money, especially after paying for both their meals earlier. Reina was then distracted by Yuuko calling for her to look at something, giving Kumiko the opportunity to take a picture of it with her phone for reference, making a mental note for later.

...

The four of them wandered to the food court to partake in some free samples and take a break at one of the tables.

"I'll be right back," Kumiko said. "I wanna get something to drink."

Reina was watching Kumiko walk away to a nearby convenience store located within the food court until she felt Natsuki and Yuuko's eyes on her. The relationship between the juniors could've been described as 'fighting like cats and dogs,' but at the moment they resembled two cats cornering a mouse, their feline-like smiles making Reina feel uneasy.

"So," Natsuki started, "Kumiko's pretty cute, isn't she?"

"She is…" Reina responded, unable to disagree.

"She's very… fluffy," Natsuki added, motioning around her hair. "Y'know… I have it on good authority that she thinks you're cute too."

"She does?"

"It's all she ever talks about!" Natsuki said exaggeratedly, as if she were joking, but it wasn't far from the truth at all. "It's always Reina this, and Reina that…" She continued with a very poor impression of Kumiko, "'Did you see Reina at practice? She looked so pretty today…'" She kept grinning. "Stuff like that."

"Oh. That's interesting," Reina said, blushing and looking down.

"Very interesting!" Yuuko agreed. "You're _both_ really cute… So, combined, you could be the cutest couple at school!"

"Watch out, prom king and queen," Natsuki said, pointing with a finger-gun. "They've got competition."

"Sophomores can't go to prom unless they're invited by an upperclassman," Yuuko informed her.

"Ah, that's right. Something to keep in mind for next year, then. Unless me or Asuka invite her along… She'd make a great _date_." She winked, trying to obviously hint at Reina to make her move.

Kumiko then reappeared, now with a can of green tea. "What'd I miss?" she asked, sitting down. The other three were quiet, with Reina clearly flustered. She turned to Natsuki, who looked quite devious. "Okay, what's going on?"

"We were just talking about how cute you are," she smirked.

"Very funny," Kumiko said, not believing her one bit.

Natsuki placed a hand on her chest in mock offense. "I'm telling the truth!"

"More specifically, we were talking about how cute of a couple you and Reina would be," Yuuko said.

Kumiko choked on her drink at that comment, causing Natsuki to laugh at her. Now _she_ knew how it felt.

Natsuki and Yuuko now had the oblivious pair right where they wanted them. Since the subtle approach was not working, it was time to be as blatant as possible and implement a little tough love.

"You practically act like you're dating anyway," Natsuki added.

"We… we do not…!" Kumiko stuttered out after making a couple of bizarre noises.

"Come on, Kumiko," Yuuko continued, gesturing towards Reina. "You opened the door for her, paid for her food, gave her your jacket… it's like you're her boyfriend or something."

"A useless boyfriend," Natsuki interjected.

"I'm not!" Kumiko squawked.

"Yeah, you're right. You're not her useless boyfriend. You're her useless girlfriend."

"I'm not useless or her girlfriend! I'm just being courteous!"

"In that case, pay for _my_ food!"

"What do you think, Reina?" Yuuko asked her very quiet friend, gently nudging her in the side with her elbow. "Don't you think Kumiko would make a good girlfriend?"

Reina was still looking down, blushing and fidgeting. She didn't like being put on the spot like this, even if the outcome could be good. "Um…" She couldn't lie, "Yes, she would."

"If you like huge dorks," Natsuki said. "But I guess she can be pretty adorable."

"Shut _up_ , Natsuki," Kumiko said, her face burning from Reina's words and the relentless teasing.

"Well, would ya look at the time!" Natsuki announced, looking at a wristwatch that she wasn't wearing. "I've gotta get going! You're fine with giving me a ride, right, Yuuko?"

"Absolutely!" the blonde chirped, immediately getting out of her seat.

"See you kids later!"

"Bye!"

The juniors bolted off, leaving Kumiko and Reina to wallow in their mutual embarrassment.

...

The ride back to Reina's house continued to be awkward and quiet, the only noises around them being the car engine and low radio chatter. Reina buried herself deeper into the warmth and comforting scent of Kumiko's jacket, which had been lent to her again to ward the chill away.

Soon enough, they pulled up to the Kousaka residence. The light at the entrance was on, like a beacon shining through the early darkness brought on by the upcoming winter.

"I'll walk you to the door," Kumiko said, chivalrous as ever. Reina didn't argue.

They stood on the doorstep, not quite sure what to say.

Kumiko cleared her throat, fiddling with a loose thread on the sleeve of her sweater. "Today was fun," she said.

"It was," Reina genuinely agreed.

"See you on Monday, then?"

"Of course. Try and stay warm. Oh!" Reina realized, "You need your jacket back."

"Oh, right," Kumiko awkwardly chuckled. "That'll help." She put it back on after Reina slipped it off and handed it to her. "Thanks."

"Thank _you,"_ Reina said, stepping closer to smooth out some wrinkles on the arms and front of the jacket that weren't there, not wanting to part yet. Her hands lingered on the collar.

They looked at each other, locked in a magnetic gaze. Kumiko's amber eyes were brightened by the light above the front door while Reina's sparkled from the stars above. At that moment, they found the other to be absolutely beautiful.

The air between them was thin again, and visible from the surrounding cold, but their bodies felt warmer than usual.

"Reina, I—" Kumiko quietly spoke before being silenced by a finger placed on her lips.

Reina firmly gripped the collar of Kumiko's jacket with both hands, pulling the other girl towards herself. "I'm going to kiss you now," she said with determination. There would be no interruptions this time.

"Okay," was all Kumiko said before leaning down to meet Reina's lips.

The initial contact was very gentle and shy, but quickly became more certain as Reina brought her hands up to caress the other girl's face while Kumiko wrapped her arms around Reina's lower back, wanting to be closer. Kumiko slightly parted her lips and Reina matched her movements with a soft sigh, those familiar tingles returning. One kiss turned into two, then three, neither of them wanting this moment to end after the wait for it felt so long.

If there were any doubts left in their minds about the feelings between them, they had vanished.

"I like you," Reina told her.

"Really?" Kumiko asked, wide-eyed, as if they hadn't just kissed.

"Yes, really," she breathily laughed, tenderly brushing some hair out of Kumiko's face. "Do you like me too?"

"I do," Kumiko earnestly replied. She squeezed the smaller girl tighter and whispered, "For the longest time…" They continued standing on the doorstep for a while longer, holding on to each other. "Hey…" she spoke up, "Y'know how Natsuki and Yuuko said that we acted like we were dating?"

"Mm-hmm," Reina responded with an amused smile. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all…" She looked down, tapping her toe against the concrete out of nervousness. "But I'd rather not only… act it, y'know?"

"Then we should date. Officially."

"Yes. For real."

"It's decided, then."

There was a pause before they both burst into giggles, giddy from the adrenaline of the confession and the joy of having their feelings reciprocated.

"So, not much will change?" Kumiko teased, placing her forehead against Reina's.

"Except for this," Reina said before closing the short distance with another kiss.

After they separated, Kumiko said with a silly grin, "I look forward to more of that."

They would definitely have to thank their friends the next time they saw them.

...

a/n: Our favorite couple is finally together! But don't worry, this isn't the end. Stay tuned for some more chapters exploring Kumiko and Reina's new romantic relationship and generally being dorks. Will the lovebirds run into any trouble? Maybe... No matter what happens, you can expect more cuteness. Thanks for reading.


	8. Your Affection

Kumiko walked into school that morning with a spring in her step, which was quite unusual for her, but she had a very good reason to be excited.

Just two days ago, she and Reina confessed their feelings to each other. They even kissed! Kumiko couldn't stop thinking about it—she had spent most of her Sunday distracted, pacing around her room, flopping onto her bed, flailing around, and quietly screaming into her pillow from pure joy.

Her thoughts were consumed by Reina, which was no different than usual, but now that she had finally kissed her, she couldn't wait to do it again and again. It was even better than she had imagined.

She then spotted the object of her affections unexpectedly waiting for her at her locker. Upon noticing Kumiko approaching, Reina's face instantly brightened. Kumiko noted that it was probably one of the happiest expressions she had seen on the other girl to date, and felt extremely honored and very fluttery at the fact that she was the source of it.

"Good morning," Reina greeted, standing on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around Kumiko's shoulders in an embrace.

"Ah, morning," Kumiko faltered a bit, not expecting the hug, but returned it in earnest, squeezing the girl close to herself. She also really wanted to kiss her, and managed to contain herself, but Reina decided to be sneaky and place a quick kiss on her cheek after doing a glance-around up and down the hallway. Kumiko quickly reciprocated the action before anyone caught on. The few students around seemed preoccupied, so hopefully no one would bat an eye.

Moving back, Kumiko tried to cover her giddiness with some teasing, "Just couldn't wait to see me, huh?" Turning the dial on her locker was difficult with slightly shaking fingers. The combination was also temporarily eluding her. "We have class together in like an hour."

Reina leaned against the lockers, tilting her head cutely. "Is it bad to want to greet your girlfriend first thing in the morning?" Kumiko started giggling. "What?"

"You called me your girlfriend," she explained, holding a textbook up in front of her face so Reina wouldn't see her blush and dumb smile. "That makes me really happy."

Reina fondly smiled at her, now also blushing. "Dork."

The two of them mutually agreed to keep their relationship relatively private. The band and school seemed fine with same-sex couples between the students, but they still wanted to avoid anyone being too into their business or having any possible problems.

Natsuki and Yuuko were the first ones to find out, of course, since they were their closest friends—and had taken full credit for finally getting the pair together. However, what exactly happened on Reina's doorstep remained between the couple, neither of them wanting to disclose the details of that intimate moment.

The week passed without incident, but by Friday, it was apparent that neither one of them were capable of being very discreet. More specifically, 'subtle' was not exactly a word that was in Reina's vocabulary.

At band, each section had split off into its own practice. While the bass section was getting situated in their usual classroom, Kumiko noticed Reina at the door, motioning for her to approach, a question clearly on her mind. "What's up?"

"Are you driving me home today?" Reina asked her.

"Yep," she answered with a smile. "Actually, I've been thinking that I can do that pretty much every day from now on."

"It's not too much trouble?"

"Of course not! Your house is right on my way home, anyway." She twiddled her fingers together, shyly adding, "Plus, y'know… more time together…"

"Right," Reina agreed, also smiling. "I'll let Yuuko know, then. Thank you." She kissed her on the cheek before departing. "See you in a little while."

"See ya." Kumiko turned back around, and her elated smile fell when she realized that all the members of her section were staring at her. Natsuki and Asuka were grinning like maniacs, Hazuki looked confused, Midori excited, Riko pleasantly surprised, and Takuya stoic as usual. "Um."

Natsuki spoke first, "Gay."

"What the heck?" Hazuki said, still confused.

Midori started squealing, raising her hands to her face and kicking her feet excitedly. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I knew it! Hazuki, you owe me $20."

"Noooooo!"

"What the heck?" Kumiko repeated back.

Natsuki let out a loud laugh. "You two had a bet? Man, I wish I had gotten in on that. But I guess I would've been at an unfair advantage."

"Yes, we did." While Hazuki exaggeratedly wailed while digging through her wallet, Midori momentarily resembled a mob boss—albeit a tiny and fluffy one—ready to collect her money. "I kept telling Hazuki that it was only a matter of time. I saw the signs!" She clenched her fists together, the stars in her eyes returning.

"I thought you guys were just really good friends," Hazuki told Kumiko, parting with her cash.

Before Kumiko could reply, Natsuki loudly laughed again. "Oh yeah! They're a couple of gals being pals. Bosom buddies. True besties."

Asuka chimed in, "It fills me with such joy to see these two star-crossed lovers finally come together! Truly great work on your part, Natsuki." She gave a thumbs-up.

"Thank you, thank you," Natsuki haughtily spoke, slightly bowing.

"Stop taking _all_ the credit…" Kumiko grumbled.

"Wow!" Hazuki suddenly exclaimed. "I didn't think I had any gay friends, but with Kumiko and Reina… now I have two!" She raised two fingers, making a peace sign.

"Are Natsuki and I not your friends?" Asuka asked, appearing exaggeratedly offended on both her and the redhead's behalf.

"What?! You guys too?! Man, I really need to pay attention…"

"Yeah, no kidding," Natsuki shook her head. "Here I thought we practically radiated rainbow beams." She nodded in Kumiko's direction. "Same with you."

"Gee, thanks."

"The gay friends have doubled!" Hazuki cheered, making another peace sign. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she examined her fingers. The gears started turning in her head. "Wait… How do two girls…?" she began to ask, making scissoring motions with her fingers.

"Alright!" Asuka loudly interrupted that train of thought, now ready to get things back on track. "I'm afraid that's something they don't cover in sex ed."

"They don't cover most things, actually," Natsuki noted before crossing her arms sagely. "But that's what the internet is for."

"Good idea! I can do some research!" Hazuki got out her cell phone, now on the pursuit of knowledge.

Kumiko made a strange squawking noise. "Don't look up that stuff right now!"

While this occurred, Riko and Takuya watched, the former in amused silence, and the latter in bewilderment. Takuya placed a hand on his forehead and tiredly said, "I think we're in the weirdest section of the band."

"Aw, they're not weird…" Riko chuckled. "I prefer to call them… eccentric."

Whatever you wanted to call them, that was the bass section for you.

...

"And that's what happened," Kumiko concluded the story after dropping off Natsuki.

"Oops," was Reina's response. She was the opposite of remorseful—in fact, she looked quite pleased. "Well... bets aside, I'm glad that Hazuki and Midori are happy for us. Maybe now they'll stop trying to hook you up with guys."

"Oh man, you're right… Sweet."

After arriving at the Kousaka home, Reina invited Kumiko inside to hang out for a little while, informing the brunette that her parents were not home yet. The insinuation and tone of her words were not lost on Kumiko. Her heart started beating faster as Reina led her up the stairs to her room.

Upon entering, Kumiko realized that she had never been in Reina's bedroom, even before they had started dating. It was like crossing a new barrier. She looked around, eager to learn more about the other girl. Things were predictably neat and in order, with some well-organized shelves against one of the walls full of music and books. Even her desk was tidy.

The light of the late afternoon filtered in through some large windows that led out to a balcony. Kumiko imagined Reina standing out there on a regular basis to play, her trumpet fully and proudly sounding through the neighborhood. It would be a very 'Reina' thing to do. The smile brought on by that thought became more amused at the sight of a stuffed husky sitting in a nearby chair with obvious signs of age and being well-loved.

"Is my room to your liking?" Reina joked, noticing Kumiko's obvious appraising.

"Yeah," she replied, snapping out of her look-around. "It's cute. Very you."

"Thank you," Reina said, sitting on the bed in the middle of the room, leaning back against the fluffy pillows and headboard. She patted the spot next to her as an invitation for Kumiko to sit, which she did.

"So…" Kumiko started, nervous excitement bubbling up within her from being so close to her new girlfriend, in her room, on her bed, alone together. "What did you want to do?"

Reina scooted even closer, glancing at Kumiko's lips. "You tell me."

Kumiko grinned, glad they were on the same page. Instead of telling, she showed her by gently kissing her. Reina responded positively to the action, moving her lips against the other girl's with a happy hum. They shared a few quick kisses, slightly changing the angle each time in between.

Even though these kind of kisses were definitely nice, Kumiko wanted to take the next step. She then remembered that she was the more experienced one between the two of them, oddly enough. Did that mean that Reina was hoping for her to lead? If so... Pushing through her nervousness, she tentatively ran the tip of her tongue across Reina's bottom lip, asking for permission. Reina seemed to hesitate for a moment, before meeting Kumiko's tongue with her own.

Their lips and tongues met again and again, both of them making soft and satisfied noises. Wanting to be closer, Reina moved one of her hands up to caress Kumiko's face while Kumiko placed one of hers on Reina's side, rubbing circles with her thumb.

If someone had told Kumiko a year ago—or even a month ago—that she would now be making out with Reina Kousaka, she would've laughed and called them crazy. That was an idea previously resigned to past fantasies and daydreams. Still, she slightly opened one eye to take a peek, to double-check if this was actually happening.

If this was a dream, then it was a very realistic one.

As many minutes passed, another way she knew it was real was her eventual need for more air. She broke their current kiss to gasp out, "Hold on, I need to catch my breath…"

Reina looked at her for a moment, blinking, in a daze. After recovering, she teased, "You should have better lung capacity than that."

"Hey, I'm not as amazing as you."

"That's not true," Reina instantly replied. This exchange seemed familiar for some reason.

"If you say so," Kumiko said, fully laying down on her side, dropping the matter.

Reina snuggled against her, tightly wrapping her arms around the taller girl with a contented sigh.

Kumiko was still surprised at how affectionate Reina was. It seemed that the trumpeter always wanted to be close to her, often wanting to hold hands and hug and sneaking in kisses on her cheek. She hadn't expected her to be the clingy type, but was not complaining one bit.

Over the course of the week, she had been the recipient of many affectionate looks, touches, and words from Reina—and loved every minute of it. Receiving so much positive attention from such a beautiful girl made her happier than words could describe. It was like she hit the jackpot.

They laid there for some peaceful minutes in each other's arms.

"Hey, Reina…" Kumiko spoke up, now playing with the girl's soft black hair.

"Hm?" she responded, raising her head to look up at her.

"When did you know that you liked me?"

"Hm…" she said again, more contemplative. "I don't know, exactly. It was just one of those things that happened." She fiddled with the drawstrings on the front of Kumiko's hoodie. "You always seemed interesting to me, so I wanted to get to know you better… but I didn't know how to go about it. I was really glad when you talked to me at that party and we started becoming friends."

"Me too," Kumiko earnestly agreed, also glad that she had gathered the courage to talk to her.

Reina continued, her voice getting quieter, feeling shy, "Then I started feeling very attracted to you, but it took me a little while—with some help—to figure out that I liked you in that way. You really threw me for a loop. I've never felt this way before until I met you."

"Wow," Kumiko breathed out, in sheer awe. She could've said something equally touching, like how happy and honored she was to make Reina feel that way, but instead blurted out, "So I actually turned you gay?!"

Reina resisted the urge to smack her forehead—or Kumiko's. "I suppose you did," she rolled her eyes, then laughed. "Actually, I haven't decided on whether I might be a lesbian or bi or whatever… All I know for certain is that I like you."

For a moment, Kumiko had thought that she had died and gone to heaven. "Well, that's what matters," she said, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat. "I really like you too."

Reina continued shyly smiling, pleased to hear that. "So when did _you_ know that you liked me?"

"Oh… Probably since I first saw you," she bashfully admitted. That warmed Reina's heart, before Kumiko ruined the sentiment by adding, "Oh, wait! What really did it for me was when you wore a ponytail at that first competition!"

"Ponytail…?"

"Yeah!" Kumiko insisted, now fired up. This was another one of the things she was passionate about. "You looked so good in that ponytail that it was criminal!" Reina flattened her eyebrows, regarding her with the most unamused of expressions. "Hey, don't judge. I like ponytails."

"Hm… That's interesting." She placed a finger on her chin. "Then I should tell you that I like glasses."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. In fact, when I first saw you in glasses…" She leaned over to whisper in Kumiko's ear, "I thought you looked really sexy."

That admission and the breath hitting her ear gave Kumiko goosebumps. "Woah," she managed to say. "G-good to know…"

"Indeed."

Both of them made mental notes for later.

They continued leisurely chatting and kissing until they heard the sound of the front door loudly opening and closing. "That must be my mom," Reina clarified.

Kumiko checked her watch, learning how much time had actually passed. "I should probably get going."

"Aw," Reina said, clinging to her and lightly whining, "But I want to kiss you some more."

Kumiko smiled amusedly at the girl's almost childish tone, especially since the intentions were most certainly… adult. "We're seeing each other tomorrow."

"Yes, but… You could stay for dinner," she offered, holding on tighter.

"I don't want to impose…"

"You wouldn't be imposing."

"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure my mom wanted me home."

"Alright… " Reina finally gave in with a sigh. She walked Kumiko back downstairs to the front door.

While Kumiko was putting her shoes back on, one of the laces came undone. While leaning down, she heard Reina say, "Oh my. We haven't been on our first date yet and you're proposing to me already?"

"Huh?" Kumiko asked before realizing the position she had gotten in to tie her shoe—down on one knee. She played along, "I guess I am." She held out a hand, lovingly looking up at the other girl. "Reina Kousaka, will you marry me?" She didn't know how Reina would react to that, but she wasn't expecting her to look quite so visibly flustered, her hair fluffing up like a cat's fur. Her expression was priceless. Kumiko stood back up, loudly laughing at her. "Why are you blushing?"

"I'm not," she grumbled, stepping forward to hide her burning face in the taller girl's shoulder.

Kumiko kept chuckling as she wrapped her arms around her. "You're cute," she said.

The two girls stood in the foyer holding on to each other for a little while longer, not wanting to part. They finally separated at the sounds of footsteps from Reina's mother coming around the corner.

"Oh, hello, Kumiko dear," Miki said, approaching the pair. She was wearing athletic attire, having presumably returned from the gym. If she was tired from any workout, she didn't show it, her greeting as bright and energetic as ever. "I thought that was your car outside. You're not staying for dinner?"

"No, ma'am," Kumiko answered, then repeated, "I don't want to impose."

"You wouldn't be imposing—"

"That's what I told her," Reina interjected.

"—you're my daughter's girlfriend, after all!"

The teenagers stood there, unmoving, unspeaking. Reina looked like a statue while Kumiko resembled a gaping fish.

Noticing the atmosphere she had created, Miki innocently asked, "Am I wrong?"

Kumiko broke their quiet first by babbling, "No—I mean yes—I mean—" She was waving her hands around as if trying to cast a magic spell. Attempts at incantations and proper thought failed her. She turned to Reina, "I thought you didn't tell your parents!"

"I didn't!" she choked out.

"Oh, you didn't have to say anything, darling," Miki said, quite amused. "It was obvious." Before her daughter could ask how, she elaborated, "I've never seen you so happy before, especially this past week. Even before that, all we've been hearing about lately is Kumiko. Then when she came over for dinner, and we saw how you two looked at and acted around each other, we put the pieces together. It reminded me of when I first met your father…" she fondly trailed off, walking down memory lane.

"Oh my god," Reina groaned, hiding her face behind her hands. Her level of embarrassment managed to surpass where it was at that aforementioned dinner, and like back then, she wished that the ground beneath her would open up and take her away.

Kumiko stood there, not sure what to do. Her panicked gaze flickered between Reina, her mother, and the doorknob. She briefly wondered if she should make a break for it.

Miki laughed at Kumiko's obvious shock, and assuaged her fears, "Oh, don't worry, dear. I think you two make an adorable couple! Soujiro and I both approve." Her smile instantly turned from warm to threatening. "As long as you treat our dear Reina right."

"O-of course," Kumiko squeaked out, intimidated again. It seemed that every member of the Kousaka family were capable of the most intense of stares. "Yes, ma'am, I will," she added with a firm nod, standing more upright. "I care for her very much!"

"Good!" She smiled, back to normal. "I can see why our Reina's so fond of you—you're so sweet, and so cute, too. Please, stay for dinner."

"Okay… I'll text my mom to let her know. Thank you very much."

With that, Miki made her exit, heading towards the kitchen. Kumiko's posture relaxed, a large and very relieved sigh escaping her. It was nice to no longer be on the receiving end of that scrutinizing stare for the time being. However, Reina had yet to recover, still standing there mortified.

"Hey, it's okay," Kumiko chuckled, gently grabbing her girlfriend's wrists to move her hands away from her face.

Reina kept looking down, pouting. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, fighting tears of embarrassment pricking at her eyes. "That's not how I wanted that to go at all."

"Aw, it's alright," Kumiko reassured, kissing her forehead. "It's awesome that your parents are supportive!" Reina slowly nodded in agreement, unable to argue with that fact. "I haven't even told mine that I'm gay."

Reina raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really?" She appeared to be in thought for a moment before sighing. "We're not very good at keeping things secret, are we?"

"Apparently not."

"Well... I suppose that's fine, because…" She firmly grasped onto the hands that held her wrists and stepped closer to her girlfriend, affixing her with a gaze and smile that was parts fondness, adoration, and predatory. "I want everyone to know that you're mine."

Kumiko's eyes widened. "Oh no," she chuckled, feeling both flattered and flustered. "What have I gotten myself into?"

...

a/n: These two… So cute. So fluffy. So ridiculous. This chapter is bridging the gap for actual things to happen in the future, I promise, haha. I hope you look forward to it.


	9. After School

Natsuki was currently doing what she did best in the mornings: consuming caffeine and complaining.

"Ugh. Thanksgiving break was not nearly long enough," she groaned. "I can't wait for Christmas break. I'm taking a well-deserved rest."

"From what?" Kumiko asked, focusing on the road.

"From my busy schedule, of course," she said as if it was obvious. "And from seeing you and your girlfriend being so ridiculously gross all the time."

"Sorry," Kumiko said, with a grin, in a tone that was not sorry at all.

It was not lost on Natsuki. She sighed. "Not all of us can be so lucky in love. I could use a girlfriend too. Actually, I've been thinking about cutting my hair. Going for the 'soft butch' look or something. D'you think that'd attract the ladies?"

"Maybe, but I think the ponytail looks good on you."

"Thanks, but… Wait. Didn't you tell me one time that you had a thing for ponytails?"

Kumiko nervously chuckled. "Did I?"

Natsuki squinted her eyes at her in suspicion. "Yeah. I've seen pictures of Azusa, and she usually had a ponytail, right? And now Reina's been wearing her hair up more… Yep, that's it! I'm cutting my hair. Or wearing it down."

"What?! Cause I like ponytails?"

"Yep. You might start perving on me."

"Oh, come on! I'm not attracted to _your_ ponytail or anything—I just think it looks good on you. Aesthetically speaking. Platonically."

"Hm. I don't like the idea of looking like one of your kinks."

"It's not a _kink!_ It's just a personal preference!"

"For that matter, I've noticed you wearing your glasses more," Natsuki stated, pointing to the frames on Kumiko's face. "Does Reina have a thing for them or something?" When her friend didn't answer, Natsuki started cracking up. "I knew it! You two are such gay nerds!"

"Shut up."

"I can't believe you're dressing up for each other… Totally whipped."

"How can we both be whipped?"

"Oh, it's possible." There was a pause in the conversation before Natsuki loudly broke the silence. "Y'know who has _stupid_ hair?"

"Who?"

"Yuuko. More specifically, that stupid damn ribbon she always wears. It's always different sizes, too. Do you think it changes depending on her mood?" Kumiko couldn't respond since Natsuki continued her tirade, "I bet she's got a whole closet of the damn things, like she gets up in the morning and whooshes open the closet and there's a million of the little bastards. One for every day of the week. Who wears ribbons in high school anyway? Friggin' strange. She's got weird eyebrows too. And her voice is annoying, but she never stops talking. Christ, she drives me insane." Her rant was interrupted with the sounds of her friend snickering. "What is it?"

"Do you like her or something?"

"No way! Absolutely not!"

"Hm…" Kumiko responded, not believing her. This was an interesting development. She would definitely have to mention this to Reina later.

...

"I can't believe I was the last person to know," Shuuichi grumbled, crossing his arms.

"You're really not," Kumiko replied, looking through her locker.

"Seriously, bro. How is it that you've had _two_ girlfriends when I've had _none_?"

"I guess the ladies love me."

"You've gotta have some advice for me, man!"

"Being cute helps," she smirked.

He exaggeratedly sighed. "It must be nice being liked by a girl…"

Kumiko recalled Hazuki's strange infatuation with the boy, but decided not to bring it up. "It is."

"I guess this means Kousaka's into _huge dorks_ —"

"Did someone say my name?"

Shuuichi was yet again startled by the sudden appearance of Reina. He comedically jumped back with a yelp.

"Oh, hey, Reina," Kumiko said to her with a smile, unfazed by Shuuichi's screaming. "I missed seeing you at lunch."

"The errand for my teacher ended up taking way too long…" Reina explained.

"Were you able to eat?"

The couple lapsed into conversation, entering their own little world, seemingly forgetting that Shuuichi was still standing there.

"Listen, Kousaka!" he suddenly spoke up, breaking the bubble. "I've got something to say to you!" For being such a petite girl, Reina could be quite intimidating, but Shuuichi pushed through his fears—the love he had for his 'bro' knew no bounds. He puffed his chest out. "You better treat my bro right! She's like a sister to me!"

The two girls regarded him with a blank stare. "That makes no sense," Kumiko said.

He continued, unperturbed, pointing a finger at Reina. "If you break her heart or do her wrong, you better watch yourself! I'm not scared of you!" he stated as if she hadn't already freaked him out twice before.

The commentary continued, "You should be. She's fierce."

"Just because you're a girl doesn't mean I'll go easy on you if you hurt her! I'll make your life hell!" He tried to search for more words, but came up with none. "So… yeah! I guess that's it."

"Don't worry, Tsukamoto," Reina responded with an amused smile, looping her arm into Kumiko's. "I care for her a lot. I'll treat her well."

"You better!" He nodded, crossing his arms again, but in satisfaction. "But seriously… If you guys run into trouble, let me know. If anyone makes problems for you, then they'll have a problem with me."

"Thanks, bro," Kumiko replied, holding her free hand out for a fist bump. "I appreciate it."

No matter what, she always had friends to count on.

...

Another part of having friends was complaining about them.

"They're disgusting."

"They really are."

Natsuki and Yuuko's pride from bringing Kumiko and Reina together quickly turned into regret once they realized what kind of an adorable monster of a relationship they had helped create. It had been a month into this lovey-dovey madness, and their list of grievances continued to grow.

"This is all your fault," Yuuko told Natsuki.

" _My_ fault?" Natsuki pointed to herself, looking aghast, then pointed back at Yuuko. "You had a hand in this too!"

" _You_ were the one taking _full_ credit for this. I hope you're happy."

"And _you_ were the one bragging about how great you are at bringing cute couples together! 'Just like Nozomi and Mizore!' you said!"

"Those two are also gross."

"And totally your fault, just like this situation—"

"Ah, young love!" Asuka proclaimed, materializing from places unknown. She stepped close to Natsuki and Yuuko, placing a hand on each of their shoulders, and subtly pushing them together. "And now you two are bonding over the mutual disgust from the results of bringing your best friends together." Glancing upwards at nothing in particular, her eyes appeared to shine. "In a way, I think that's beautiful."

"Ew. _Bond?_ With _her?_ No way!"

"That thought also disgusts me."

"No need to hide your true feelings, young ones," Asuka smirked.

"You're one to talk," Natsuki retorted. Trying to distract her, she added, "I think your girlfriend's looking for you."

"Oh, which one?" Asuka replied, raising a hand up to exaggeratedly scan the room.

"Very funny. I'm talking about Kaori. She could use some attention."

"Oh, she's fine," Asuka said, waving that same hand dismissively. "But fine, I know when I'm not wanted. I'll leave you two alone to continue sharing your suffering together." She winked.

After Asuka slithered off, Natsuki continued, not yet meeting her quota for complaining that day, "Anyway… back to what I was saying. Seriously, they're awful. The other day 'A Whole New World' came on the radio and they started singing along to it together and I thought I was going to throw up. And when I complained about feeling nauseous to Kumiko, y'know what she said? 'My driving's never bothered you before!' It ain't the driving, kid!"

Yuuko laughed at that. It was different than her usual laughing around Natsuki—this one was genuine instead of mocking. It caught Natsuki by surprise.

"You're lucky that you don't have to ride with them," Natsuki added, unable to stop herself from smiling. It was nice to make girls laugh, after all.

"Do you not have your license?" Yuuko asked her, also genuinely.

"I do, but my car… Well, that's a long story."

"I see." Yuuko seemed in thought for a moment. "If they're really so terrible, you could always ride with me."

That also caught Natsuki by surprise. "Seriously?"

"I mean—" Yuuko looked away, then clarified with a huff, "Then _I_ won't have to hear you bitch about them as much. So it's a win-win."

"Huh." Natsuki wrestled with the idea for a moment before quietly deciding, "…Maybe I'll take you up on that, then."

Meanwhile, speaking of Nozomi and Mizore, Reina happened to overhear a conversation between the two as she was packing up her things.

"Nozomi," Mizore started, her voice shy and quiet as it usually was, "Your playing was very lovely today."

"Aw, thanks, babe," Nozomi brightly smiled at her girlfriend, petting her head. The oboist seemed to purr at the affection. "So was yours. But it always is!"

Hearing the word 'babe' gave Reina a brilliant idea. With lightning speed, she snapped the clasps on her trumpet case shut, grabbed her stuff, and practically raced over to Kumiko.

"Hey, Reina," Kumiko greeted, hefting her backpack over her shoulder. "Ready to go?"

"Kumiko," she started, not answering her question, "We need pet names for each other."

Kumiko stared at her for a moment, blinking. She then let out a loud laugh at her overly serious expression. "Do we?"

"Yes."

"Okay… Did you have some in mind?"

"Not yet. I just thought of it."

"You're cute," she smiled fondly at her. "Come on, let's go."

...

"Thank god it's Friday," Natsuki said, stretching as she sat up once they pulled up to her house. She leaned forward and said to Kumiko, "I don't have to see your face for two whole days."

"Thanks," Kumiko responded sarcastically.

Natsuki turned to tell Reina, "Don't worry, your face is fine, Kousaka."

"What about Yuuko's face?" Kumiko asked with a devious smile.

"What about it?"

"Aren't you going to miss it?" she singsonged.

"Ugh!" Natsuki groaned before grabbing her book bag and opening the door in one fast motion. "Alright, I'm outta here—before you make me sick. See you kids later!"

"That was a quick exit," Reina commented as they watched their friend run to the front door and disappear into her house.

"It was," Kumiko snickered. "I think she likes Yuuko."

"Really? What makes you say that?"

"She wouldn't stop bitching about her this morning."

Reina looked confused. "That means she likes her?"

"You don't know Natsuki like I do. It's how she shows her love."

"Hm, I suppose it would be… Come to think of it, Yuuko complains about her a lot too." She had recently been the sounding board for a few earfuls about the redhead these past few mornings.

"Could they be into each other?"

"Maybe. They sure are weird, though..."

"No weirder than us, I guess." Turning out of the neighborhood, Kumiko asked, "Anyway, you wanted to go get some smoothies before we head to my house, right?"

"I did, but I feel a bit bad for not inviting Natsuki along."

"Ah, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't mind."

...

At the smoothie place, Reina was momentarily distracted from her deep thoughts on the subject of pet names when Kumiko got up from their table to go grab their drinks after they were called. More specifically, what had caught her attention was the blatantly flirty vibe being directed at _her_ girlfriend from the girl behind the counter. Reina had done enough research on the subject to recognize the intentions behind a cute smile like that and the way their fingertips were made to deliberately come into contact during the exchange of drinks.

"Here you go, cutie," Kumiko said after returning, placing a smoothie in front of Reina.

"Thank you," she replied, before asking, "'Cutie'?"

"Yeah. You're cute, so 'cutie' fits, doesn't it?" Kumiko sheepishly smiled as she scratched the back of her head.

"You're the cute one," Reina retorted, averting her eyes and blushing. She tried to keep her tone even, "So cute, in fact, that the cashier was flirting with you."

"What? For real?!"

Reina sighed. "You really _are_ dense."

Kumiko giggled at the other girl's sudden grumpiness. "Uh oh. Don't tell me that you're the jealous type."

"And what if I am?" Reina asked, her even tone changing to playfully threatening.

Kumiko began cowering in mock fear. "You really _are_ scary…"

"Anyway," Reina said, changing the subject after taking a slow sip. "Back on the subject of pet names…"

"You're really thinking hard on this," she noted with an amused smile. "Maybe don't try to force it."

Ignoring her advice, Reina continued, "How about… since you're so sweet, I'll call you… sweetheart." Kumiko started cracking up. "Stop laughing at me."

"Seriously, you're too cute…" She wiped a tear caused by her laughter away. "Whatever you wanna call me is fine, really."

"Then I'm going to call you _a jerk._ "

After they finished their drinks and left the shop, it suddenly started to rain during the walk to Kumiko's car. Once in the vehicle, their departure out of the parking lot was temporarily halted by the water now on the lenses of Kumiko's glasses. She took them off to try wiping them clean with the edge of her shirt, but that just created larger streaks on the lenses that couldn't be seen through.

"Augh," she whined. "This is why glasses are a pain!"

Reina giggled at her as she dug through her dashboard looking for a cleaning wipe, but had to settle for a napkin. "That's the cost of beauty."

Kumiko kept grumbling in between exhaling onto and wiping the lenses. "The things I do for love…"

"Love, huh?"

"Erm." The brunette froze, a blush creeping up onto her face as she realized what came out her mouth. "Y-yeah… Anyway, let's get going!" she quickly said, putting her glasses back on. They weren't clean as they could be, but it would have to do.

The cold rain continued to pick up on the way back to the Oumae residence. Reina opted to leave her trumpet case in Kumiko's car, only grabbing her overnight bag before the two made a mad dash into the house.

Despite their speed, they were both soaked. "Such a pain!" Kumiko complained again, and giving up for now, she hung her wet glasses on her collar.

"How bad is your vision anyway?" Reina asked her. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Kumiko shot her a glare. That was a joke that would never become funny. She leaned down close to the other girl's face. "I'm near-sighted, so I can _clearly_ see from here that _you_ are also a pain."

"You know you love it."

"Maybe," Kumiko responded, glancing away with an enigmatic smile, another blush creeping up.

The two headed upstairs to dry off. Reina sat on the edge of Kumiko's bed, toweling off her damp hair. After removing the water on the back of her neck, she undid her ponytail. Kumiko reemerged from the bathroom, having opted to put her contacts back in, tired of dealing with glasses for that day.

"Aw," the brunette whined. "No more ponytail?"

"Aw," Reina repeated back to her. "No more glasses."

Kumiko sat down next to her. "I don't understand your glasses fetish."

"And I don't understand your ponytail fetish."

"There's a very good reason for it!" Kumiko told her, grinning mischievously, scooting even closer. "It's easier to do this…"

Reina was about to ask 'do what' before getting her answer when Kumiko moved her hair to the side and started kissing her neck. She bit her lip in an attempt to keep any embarrassing noises from escaping, tingles immediately running through her. Kumiko had quickly discovered that her neck was one of her biggest weak spots, and often liked to use it against her, both to her chagrin and satisfaction.

"St-stop…" she weakly whined, squirming. At that, the assault on her neck ended. With those pleasurable sensations gone, her faculties quickly returned to her, and a sense of disappointment. "Huh?" she whined again. "Why'd you stop?"

Kumiko looked understandably confused. "You told me to," she matter-of-factly explained.

"Oh." Reina sheepishly looked down, blushing. "I didn't mean it."

Kumiko laughed at that, finding her to be way too adorable. "Hey, c'mon now, don't give me mixed messages," she teased. "Tell me how you really feel."

"I could say the same for you," Reina said, moving close to rest her forehead against Kumiko's.

"Hm… I don't follow."

"I think you do."

They had been dancing around the subject for almost a week now: wanting to tell each other 'I love you.' Having only been dating for a month, they both worried that it might be too early to say it, and didn't want to freak the other out.

Neither said anything for a few moments as they looked into each other's eyes, letting those three little unspoken words hang in the air.

"Reina, I—"

Whatever Kumiko was going to say was interrupted by her being startled by the sound of the front door opening.

"Oh, someone's home," Kumiko noted, getting up to go check the window to see what car had pulled up. "It's my mom."

Reina hadn't even met Mrs. Oumae yet, but couldn't fight the less-than-kind thoughts that briefly entered her head, cursing the woman's apparently poor timing. She was certain that her girlfriend was going to say something important.

Kumiko sat back down next to her. "Are you nervous to meet my parents?"

"I don't get nervous," Reina replied confidently before quietly admitting, "But yes, I am."

Kumiko chuckled. "Don't be. As far as they know, you're only a friend of mine." She grabbed the other girl's hand, holding it gently, regarding her with a very serious expression. "So you can't act like my girlfriend. They don't know that I'm gay."

"What, do you think that I can't be subtle?" Kumiko raised an eyebrow at her, nonverbally answering her question. "Okay, okay. I will be completely incognito." She softly asked, "How come you haven't told them yet?"

Kumiko looked down, her eyes sad. "It… doesn't seem like a good idea. I don't know how they'd react. I doubt they'd kick me out or anything, but… I'd rather avoid the drama, y'know?" Reina nodded in understanding. "Anyway," Kumiko continued, trying to appear more chipper, "why don't we head down? I want to introduce you to my mom."

"Do you think she'll like me?"

"Of course. You're very lovable," Kumiko told her before kissing her cheek, causing her to giggle.

The two of them made their way downstairs. The front hallway led right into the small kitchen and dining area, separated from the living room by an open wall.

"Hey, Mom," Kumiko said. She gestured to the girl standing close to her side—but not too close. "This is my friend Reina."

"Oh, hello," Mrs. Oumae warmly greeted her. "So you're the one Kumiko's mentioned before. I'm Akiko Oumae. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, ma'am," Reina said respectfully. "Thank you for having me."

"Any friend of Kumiko's is more than welcome! I'm sorry I don't have a home-cooked meal for you girls tonight, though," Akiko said apologetically, removing some trays of food from a large paper bag. "It's been a long week and I didn't feel like cooking." True to her words, she seemed to be quite tired. "I hope Chinese food is alright."

"That's fine, ma'am. Thank you."

Kumiko watched the exchange with a smile. She asked, "Where's Dad?"

"He should be home soon."

After grabbing some drinks from the fridge, the girls sat down at the kitchen table to wait around, and soon enough they heard the front door open.

"Kumiko!" a gruff male voice called out before the door loudly shut.

"Uh oh," Kumiko said quietly, but Reina was able to hear her. "What did I do this time?"

In walked a tall man who also appeared to be quite tired. Like Kumiko had experienced earlier, his glasses were covered with raindrops from the current downpour outside. He was not the only one that was soaked, apparently, as he held up the source of his current annoyance: a wet newspaper. "Look at this! The paper's unreadable! How am I supposed to get today's news? Why didn't you bring it in?"

"It wasn't here yet when I left this morning," Kumiko answered.

"Hrmm," he grumbled. "But it was here when you got home, right?"

"Yeah, but… it was already raining pretty hard. We ran in and I didn't think about it. Sorry."

At the mention of 'we,' that seemed to alert Mr. Oumae to the presence of a different person at their dinner table. "Oh," he said, appearing slightly sheepish for fussing at his daughter over a wet paper in front of a stranger. "Hello. Who might you be?"

"This is Reina," Kumiko answered for her. "She's a friend of mine from school."

"Hello, sir," Reina greeted, unsure if she should get up out of her chair or not, but decided to remain seated. "It's nice to meet you."

"Same to you," he responded with a nod. "I forgot that Kumiko was having a friend over."

As her husband threw the newspaper in the garbage can, Akiko suggested, "Maybe you should get a tablet, honey."

"They're too expensive," he grumbled again. He walked out of the kitchen, loosening his tie.

"Don't mind him," Akiko told Reina. "I'm sure he had a long week too."

Reina nodded in response, not expecting that to be her first introduction to Kumiko's father. She glanced over at her girlfriend, who seemed unfazed, shrugging.

While Mr. Oumae was drying off, everyone grabbed their food and sat down, waiting for him to reappear. Akiko went ahead and fixed her husband's plate for him.

"Thank you, honey," he said to his wife as he sat down. After taking a sip of his favorite tea, he then addressed Reina, who was currently sitting across from him, "So you're a friend from school? Are you in band too?"

"Yes, sir. I play the trumpet."

"Oh, how fun!" Akiko smiled. "I played the clarinet when I was in school. I have a lot of fond memories from being in band. You should treasure them!"

"I will, but I'm also aiming to play professionally, like my dad."

"Playing professionally, hm?" Mr. Oumae raised his eyebrows, regarding her skeptically. "I suppose it would be easier with a parent already doing it." He turned to his daughter. "But I doubt you could get away with playing the euphonium for a living."

"Ah, haha…" Kumiko uncomfortably chuckled. She had already resigned herself to that fate, but for some reason, his words now stung. "Probably not."

"If she wanted to, she could," Reina immediately defended her. "She's very talented."

Kumiko doubted those words, but appreciated them nonetheless.

"It wouldn't exactly be the most stable career path, though," Mr. Oumae continued. "There doesn't seem like a lot of opportunities out there for euphonium players. Still, it's nice to have dreams. Have you actually given any thought to a career, Kumiko?"

"Oh, uh, I've been thinking that I want to be a music teacher."

"Really? That's new."

"Teachers don't seem to make a lot of money, unfortunately," Akiko pointed out.

"Right," Mr. Oumae sighed, "but at least they get state benefits. You make more money if you teach at the college level."

"I'd like to work with kids," Kumiko clarified.

"You are good with kids, honey," Akiko smiled. "Oh, that reminds me—I ran into Mrs. Sakamoto yesterday while getting the mail, and she told me that she'll probably have some more babysitting jobs for you soon. She's been really begging her husband for a few more hot date nights."

"You babysit?" Reina asked Kumiko.

"Yeah," she answered. "Gotta make some money somehow."

"I hope you're saving it," Mr. Oumae commented.

Kumiko uncomfortably chuckled again, choosing to take another sip of tea instead of answering, thinking about where her money went: food, games, music… and now doting on her girlfriend.

Reina was starting to wish that Kumiko's father would ease up on her a bit, but the opposite occurred when Kumiko's phone went off a couple of times from text notifications.

"Oh, oops," Kumiko said, putting it on vibrate after quickly checking who the messages were from. "Sorry."

"Kumiko," her father started, appearing more fatigued. "Haven't I already talked to you about having your phone at the dinner table?"

"Sorry, sir," she apologized again.

"Who was it, anyway? Don't they know not to disturb people around dinner time?"

"It was Natsuki. She doesn't really have a set meal time." Her friend's schedule could be pretty odd in general.

"Which one is Natsuki again?"

"She's the redhead with the ponytail," Kumiko answered as if she said it a lot.

"Oh, that one," he recalled. "Are you still driving her around all the time?"

"Yeah… but she gives me gas money." Plus a little more extra cash for the trouble, which also went towards Kumiko's vices.

"I would hope so! Just because she's your friend doesn't mean that she can bum rides off you."

"I think Natsuki's really nice," Reina tried adding to the conversation.

"She was pretty funny this morning," Kumiko said with a snicker. "She's _really_ looking forward to Christmas break."

"So am I!" Akiko chirped, confusing Kumiko, before clarifying, "Mamiko will be coming home. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Oh. I guess."

"Have you talked to her lately?"

"Not really."

"Why not? She's your sister! You two used to be so close."

"She never seems to want to talk to me…" Kumiko sadly trailed off.

"Sometimes you need to be the one to put the effort in," Mr. Oumae added.

Kumiko muttered under her breath, "Tell _her_ that…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing, sir."

"Do you have any siblings, Reina?" Akiko asked.

"No, ma'am. It's just me."

"Ah, that's a shame. Having a sibling can be nice, but being an only child has its benefits too. But since you're their only daughter, I'm sure your parents will freak out when you bring a boy home—if you haven't already." Kumiko ended up choking on green tea again courtesy of that comment. Not noticing her daughter's plight, Akiko continued with a laugh, "They'll probably want to run him off."

Reina tried to keep a straight (ha) face, recalling how Kumiko had already received a somewhat stereotypical bringing-a-boyfriend-home treatment, unbeknownst to Mrs. Oumae. Thankfully for both teenagers, Kumiko had been accepted into the Kousaka family with open arms.

"I'm not interested in having a boyfriend," Reina answered honestly.

"That's good! Don't bother with men or dating for a while—they're nothing but trouble," Akiko laughed again. "You'll probably find a nice guy to settle down with once you get to college. That's what I always tell Kumiko. Although, her sister could probably do better than the guy she's currently dating…"

"I'm going to be quite unhappy if he ends up as my son-in-law," Mr. Oumae said, grumbling again.

The suggestion of Kumiko 'settling down with a nice guy' made a strange pit of disgust build in Reina's stomach. She assumed that her girlfriend felt similarly.

"So what were you girls going to do tonight?" Akiko innocently asked.

Probably a lot of kissing, they both thought.

"Just hang out," Kumiko said out loud.

During dinner, Reina picked up on the difference in Kumiko's behavior around her parents. Her answers for them were very short and quiet, her attitude very subdued. It was certainly different compared to what Reina was using to seeing, but she supposed that it wasn't too unusual for her to be able to see a different side of her.

However, it felt like Kumiko couldn't really be herself. It was like she was hiding behind a mask.

...

After dinner, the girls returned to Kumiko's room, making sure to lock the door behind them—just for privacy's sake, of course.

"Your parents are nice," Reina commented.

"They're not as cool as yours," Kumiko retorted, flopping onto her back on her bed.

"Mine aren't cool, they're embarrassing," Reina responded, lying down next to Kumiko and snuggling against her. After a moment, she spoke up again, "Actually, can I be honest?"

"Of course."

"Your dad seems… really hard on you."

"Hm, yeah. That's normal. I deserve it like 95% of the time, though."

"I'm sure you don't," Reina insisted, tenderly brushing some hair from Kumiko's face. "Like how he seemed annoyed about you giving Natsuki rides. You do that because you're so nice."

"Yeah, I'm too nice for my own good sometimes."

"It's one of the things I love about you."

"Really?" Kumiko averted her gaze, blushing, asking quietly, "What else do you love about me?"

Reina dramatically drug out a 'hmm' as if she had to think hard on the answer. "Well, you're cute, and funny, and sweet... and good at kissing."

"That's good to know," she lightly laughed.

"You're also easy to talk to. It's no wonder everyone loves you… And… actually, Kumiko, I—"

Her intended words were interrupted by the sound of Mrs. Oumae calling up the stairs for her daughter, startling them both this time. Reina internally cursed again. She really liked Kumiko's mother, but her patience was starting to wear thin.

Kumiko got up and opened the door. "Yeah, Mom?" she asked.

"We've got some ice cream! Would you and Reina like some?"

"Oh, sure," Kumiko replied, before turning around to ask the other girl, "Want some ice cream?"

"Sure." Before the two exited the room, and making sure that Kumiko's mother was out of earshot, Reina told her, "Ice cream sounds nice, but your lips taste sweeter."

"Reina…" She started laughing at her again. "That's _really_ corny."

"Shut up," she huffed, now feeling embarrassed.

...

After the girls had some dessert, they decided to play some Smash Bros. since Reina had a lot of fun with the game the last time she was over—mostly because she kept winning, much to Kumiko's dismay.

"Y'know who you should pick?" Kumiko said once they were back on the character select screen after a handful of rounds. "Zero Suit Samus."

"Why? Is she good?"

"Yeah, but she mainly reminds me of you." Reina raised an eyebrow, curious. Kumiko explained with a silly grin, "She's hot and looks good in a ponytail."

Reina laughed, feeling flattered. "Why don't you pick her then?"

"I'd rather have her beat me up."

Reina looked exaggeratedly shocked. "I didn't realize you were such a pervert…" she teased, shaking her head in amusement. "You know who _you_ remind me of? Kirby."

"Why, 'cause he eats a lot?" Kumiko deadpanned, expecting an answer like that.

"I was _going_ to say because he's the cutest, but…" Reina trailed off, looking away with a not-so-innocent expression that confirmed that she agreed with that assumption.

"Very funny. I oughta beat _you_ up."

"I don't mind pain," she said with a wink.

Kumiko's eyes widened. "And you called _me_ a pervert."

After a few more matches, Kumiko spoke up, "I'm spent on Smash for now. Actually, I'm kinda tired. Can we just lay around and talk?"

" _Only_ talk?" Reina asked with a devious smirk.

Kumiko decided not to answer, instead announcing, "I'm gonna change into my pajamas."

"You don't have to go into the bathroom to change, you know. We're both girls. I wouldn't mind if you _strip_ in front of me."

"You really _are_ a pervert!" Kumiko said with a nervous laugh, protectively crossing her arms over her chest.

...

Later, Kumiko was laying on the bed and absent-mindedly staring at the ceiling, waiting for Reina to reemerge from the bathroom. At the sound of the door opening, she looked over and saw the other girl wearing a familiar article of clothing of hers over her pajamas. "Hey, what the heck. Is that one of my hoodies?"

"Yep," Reina responded, moving to the other side of the bed to lie across from Kumiko. "I was cold. It looked warm. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," Kumiko said happily, rolling over to face her. Seeing her girlfriend wearing her clothes filled her with happiness and an odd sense of pride. "It's a little big on you, though," she teased. The garment was already pretty large on Kumiko's frame, so the smaller girl was practically drowning in the fabric.

"A little bit, but it's comfortable." It also smelled like her.

"Y'know what it's made out of?"

"What?"

"Girlfriend material."

"…That's terrible."

"Yep, it is," she said, pulling Reina closer to herself. Her mirth appeared short-lived, though, as Reina saw the humor disappearing from her eyes, replaced with an almost somber look.

"Are you okay?"

"Hm?" Kumiko said distractedly, now playing with Reina's hair, as she often liked to do.

"You seem… sad. Or like something's on your mind."

"I was just thinking how pretty you are." She insisted, "I'm fine, really."

"Come on. You can tell me anything."

Kumiko opened her mouth, about to say something, before closing it again, unsure. Her expression was unreadable, her eyes having a peculiar gleam to them. After a moment, she asked, "Do you ever wish that you were… normal?"

"Are you saying I'm abnormal?" she teased. "But no. I want to be special—to stand out."

"Right, of course. As expected of the amazing Reina Kousaka. That was a silly question to ask you."

"You keep calling me amazing, but you're amazing too, you know." Kumiko scoffed at that, clearly not believing her. "I mean it. How come you wish you were normal?"

"Ah, well… I mean normal like… not having to pretend."

Reina had a feeling that she knew what she was referring to.

"I want to kiss you," Kumiko then said suddenly. "Can I?"

"You can," Reina replied, unable to say no to that face and the way Kumiko was looking at her.

Reina had yet to receive kisses quite like this from her. They seemed almost desperate, pleading… It was if she was responding to Reina's question with her own, each sharp intake of air between their mouths meeting asking, "am _I_ okay, is _this_ okay, are _we_ okay…?"

Since she currently couldn't reply verbally, she responded physically. She kissed the other girl gently and reassuringly rubbed her back, hoping to soothe her frantic energy.

She wanted to show Kumiko how much she loved her.

Even if they couldn't say it yet.


	10. Youthful Lunch

Kumiko was standing in the kitchen having a quick drink of water before heading out when she received a text message from Reina.

" _I've finished getting ready. Are you leaving soon?"_ it read.

She typed back, _"I'm about to! See you in a little bit!"_

" _Okay. Don't keep me waiting too long."_

Kumiko's actual heart fluttered at the heart emoji at the end of that message. They still hadn't said 'I love you' yet, but a lot of their text messages recently had plenty of hearts attached to them.

She scrolled up higher to revisit the conversation they had last night, which consisted of a variety of cute animal pictures they started sending back and forth to each other along with combinations of other silly emojis. Their text history would look completely incomprehensible to anyone else, but it made sense to the both of them.

"What's with that face? Are you texting a guy or something?"

"Geh," Kumiko vocalized, startled out of her happy reprieve by the familiar and annoying sound of her older sister's voice. "No way."

Mamiko replied with a hum and sly smile, clearly not believing her. She shuffled closer in her slippers and clad in pajamas, as she had been for the past few days ever since coming home for Christmas break. Their father had given her a hard time for appearing so slovenly lately, but she ignored his complaints. As she had put it, her vacation was well-deserved after 'busting her ass' at school. "You also look dressed up, like you're going on a date."

"I'm not," Kumiko immediately denied, unconsciously smoothing out her skirt. "Just meeting friends."

"Come on, Kumiko," she singsonged. "If there's someone special in your life, you can tell your beloved big sis."

Kumiko wondered how Mamiko would react to the news of her having a girlfriend, but that was a conversation for the distant future—if she felt like having it at all. "There's nothing to tell," she responded with deliberate flatness. "I've gotta get going."

"Drive safe." Mamiko followed her little sister to the front door, continuing to bug her. "Don't speed. Don't talk to strangers."

"Whatever, _mom_ ," she grumbled, sitting on the bottom step of the stairway, pulling her boots on over her tights.

"Don't stay out too late."

"I won't," she said as she opened the door.

"Make sure you practice safe sex."

"Shut up!"

Kumiko dashed out to her car in an attempt to get away, but couldn't escape the impure thoughts now placed in her head due to that last piece of unwarranted advice.

"Have fun on your date!" Mamiko called after her.

Kumiko yelled back, "It's not a date!"

...

Technically, it was a double date.

Azusa was back in town visiting family that still lived in the area for a few days, and had brought her girlfriend with her, so it was the perfect opportunity for her and Kumiko to hang out, catch up, and also introduce their significant others.

Kumiko and Reina were currently waiting outside the entrance of the food court at the local mall. With Christmas only a week away, the place was extremely busy, hustling and bustling with cars and patrons coming and going. There was an obvious energy buzzing in the air, and from Reina as well.

"Somebody's excited," Kumiko teased, playfully nudging the girl hanging onto her with her shoulder.

"I'm looking forward to meeting your friend and her girlfriend," Reina explained, balancing on the balls of her feet. "It's also our first double date with another couple."

"The one with Natsuki and Yuuko didn't count?"

"Nope," she responded, then looked up at Kumiko fondly. "Even if it did end well."

"It did," Kumiko agreed with a smile. Sometimes the level of cuteness that Reina emanated could be overwhelming. She was about to lean over to affectionately kiss the side of the shorter girl's head before a pair of slightly scandalized stares from an older couple passing by reminded her that they were indeed in public.

She put a bit more physical distance between them, but didn't let go of Reina's hand. The other girl didn't seem to notice or care about the looks that had been directed their way during the time they were standing outside. Kumiko quietly sighed, thinking at that moment that it would be nice to be a guy. She was perfectly content with being a girl, but it would give her the privilege of being close with her girlfriend in public without a looming sense of paranoia and the habit of constantly glancing over her shoulder.

"Where is Azusa anyway?" Kumiko asked rhetorically as she pulled out her phone to check for any new messages, trying to redirect her attention back to more pleasant thoughts. A perfectly-timed new text then popped up. "Oh. She said they're here. Her mom's dropping them off… Hey, maybe that's them."

A navy van pulled up to the curb and two girls stepped out of the back of the vehicle, one familiar and the other unfamiliar. "Thanks, Mom! See you later!" Azusa bid farewell to her mother before spotting the pair approaching them. "Kumiko!" she cheered, bright recognition crossing her face.

"Hey, Azusa—aaa, oof!" Her greeting and body were thrown off-balance from Azusa's fast and fierce embrace knocking the wind out of her.

"Long time no see!" Azusa smiled, stepping back and holding her friend at arm's length. "You haven't changed a bit! Oh, wait… You have," she said, realizing that she had to look upwards to now make eye contact with the other girl. "You've gotten a lot taller!"

"Heh, I guess so."

"We should do some introductions, huh?" Azusa let go of Kumiko to drape her right arm over the shoulder of the small girl standing next to her, pulling her close, proud to show her off. "This cutie pie right here is my girlfriend, Amika."

"Hello!" Amika greeted, full of bubbly energy. Her wavy strawberry blonde hair was adorned with a pink handmade accessory that reminded Kumiko and Reina of something Midori would wear. She seemed to be a fan of pink in general, if the rest of her adorable outfit was any indication. "It's nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too," Kumiko replied.

"I'm Reina," the trumpeter introduced herself, clinging to the brunette's arm again to cutely add, "Kumiko's girlfriend."

Hearing Reina refer to her as her girlfriend still made Kumiko feel all warm and tingly inside, and couldn't help giggling and nervously scratching the back of her head.

"Ha! Look at her getting all embarrassed!" Azusa laughed, pointing out her friend's blush. "Classic." After obviously assessing Reina's appearance, she added, "Man, Kumiko said you were pretty, but I wasn't expecting you to be _this_ pretty! Don't you think so, Amika?"

"I do," she quickly agreed. She placed a hand on her chin and thoughtfully looked between the two dark-haired girls a few times, coming to a conclusion. "Especially since you and her look alike."

"Oh… I suppose we do," Reina also agreed, then turned her attention to Kumiko, who now looked sheepish. "I think I've finally learned your type, hm?"

"A-anyway, let's head in!" the brunette awkwardly chuckled, trying to change the subject from her apparently obvious tastes in girls. "I sure am hungry!"

Azusa chuckled. "That's also classic Kumiko."

Entering the food court was like being hit with a wall of noise, thanks to the combination of conversations from shoppers taking a break to eat with classic Christmas music playing over the speakers.

"They've got some new stuff in here," Azusa commented halfway through their meals.

"I hadn't really noticed," Kumiko responded.

"Well, yeah, 'cause you live here. I like my current town and school fine, but it's nice to be back around here for a bit."

"I would hope you like it," Amika teased. "It's where you met me!"

"Of course, sweetie," she responded, petting the petite girl's head.

Amika giggled at the contact before joking with the brunette, "Sorry, Kumiko, but Azusa's all mine now!"

"Oh," Kumiko said, having to take a moment to come to understand that Azusa must have mentioned their 'history' to Amika. She honestly had forgotten about the pain she used to experience from being apart from the dark-haired girl and how much she desperately missed her affection. It had felt like so long ago, and now that she had Reina to kiss and consume her waking moments, those past thoughts about Azusa no longer even occurred to her. "Right. Azusa and I used to be girlfriends."

"What the heck's with that, Kumiko?" Azusa laughed, and dramatically stated, "I thought I was your first love. Don't tell me I was so easily forgotten."

"I guess I did forget," she chuckled.

"Unreal…" Azusa amusedly rolled her eyes. "How do you put up with her, Reina?"

"It's quite difficult sometimes," Reina joked.

On the other hand, Reina had not forgotten about the information about the past relationship between Kumiko and Azusa, and even had brief moments of jealousy over the fact that Azusa was Kumiko's first kiss… but there was no point in getting hung up over the matter, since Kumiko was now hers to kiss whenever she pleased (as long as the other girl was willing, and she often was).

"How long have you two been together?" Amika asked them.

"Almost 2 months, on January 5th."

"Oh, it's on the 5th?" Kumiko asked, pretending not to know. "I'm just kidding!" she laughed when Reina glared at her, raising her hands up in defense.

"Terrible."

"You guys are cute," Azusa smiled. "I can totally tell you've got that 'new couple' vibe going on, acting all giddy and stuff."

"It reminds me of our past selves, Azusa," Amika fondly reminisced.

"How long have you guys been together?" Kumiko asked.

"It's been a little over a year now!" Amika brightly smiled. "We met in band, like you guys. I joined freshman year with no musical experience and decided to pick the trombone, 'cause it seemed interesting, and that's how I got to know Azusa."

Azusa continued the story, "I decided to take her under my wing and teach her 'cause I thought she was super cute, and before I knew it, I ended up falling for her. Somehow she wound up liking me too."

"It's because you're so cool, Azusa! Especially when you play," Amika fawned, hanging onto her girlfriend's arm.

"Aw, thanks, sweetie," she giggled, trying to act humble, but clearly loving and desiring more praise.

Kumiko and Reina glanced at each other, feeling mildly awkward, thinking that the pair in front of them also had that 'new couple' vibe despite the length of time of their relationship. As the trombonists continued their cutesy flirting, they now understood how all their friends must feel when they were around.

Speaking of their friends, Reina spotted a familiar pair of them entering the building. "Oh my god," she suddenly said, gripping onto Kumiko's sleeve and pointing. "Is that Natsuki and Yuuko?"

"What?" She looked in that direction. "Holy shit, it is!"

"What are they doing here together?"

"I dunno... Oh, crap, they're coming this way!" Kumiko freaked out, leaning down in an attempt to partly conceal herself under the table, only looking more conspicuous in the process. Reina, having a bit more sense, moved her left hand up and looked in a different direction, hoping not to be spotted.

Natsuki and Yuuko passed by without incident, seemingly with a purpose, not noticing their friends and their poor efforts to hide themselves. The group could overhear bits of their current conversation.

"So where are you taking me next, pipsqueak?" Natsuki asked.

"We're the same height," Yuuko immediately retorted. "Anyway, there's that store near Spencer's that has some cute clothes…"

As the pair continued walking, whatever Yuuko was talking about quickly got drowned out by the din of noise surrounding them. Kumiko and Reina breathed out a sigh of relief once the juniors were out of earshot.

"Ooh, what was up with that?" Azusa asked, immediately intrigued by their extreme reactions. The girl lived for gossip. "Why is it so shocking for them to be together?"

Reina answered, "They're our best friends who hate each other… or so we thought."

"Since when do they hang out without us around?" Kumiko wondered.

"I have no idea. This must be a new development."

Azusa suddenly stood up, the legs of her chair loudly scraping against the floor, and proclaimed, "We should follow them!"

"What?" Kumiko asked, taken aback.

"You wanna find out what they're up to, right?" Azusa reasoned. Admittedly, she was also curious to find out herself, always loving some good drama.

"Well… I guess…"

"Come on! Let's go!"

The tactical espionage action began, and the girls quickly located the juniors in the clothing store that Yuuko mentioned while passing by. Kumiko and Reina peeked around the wall to observe their targets through the large glass windows of the shop, slightly crouching. Kumiko was watching over Reina's shoulder, her hand resting on the girl's upper back.

"You guys are so obvious, in more ways than one," Azusa told them, her and Amika standing behind the pair.

Inside, Natsuki was trailing along behind Yuuko, apparently content to go along with whatever the other girl had planned. The blonde grabbed a couple of vests off a clothes rack and alternated holding them up in front of Natsuki, apparently trying to conclude what looked best on her.

"Wow, look at them," Kumiko softly said near Reina's ear, even though she didn't need to be quiet. "They're actually getting along."

Reina whispered back, going along with the sneaky vibe, "They couldn't be on a date, could they?"

"No way… Oh, Natsuki did mention that she wanted to get something new to wear for Asuka's 'classy Christmas party.' Maybe that's what they're doing."

"Yuuko is pretty fashionable. It would make sense for her to ask for help," Reina noted, knowing how much her friend loved to shop, and would often drag her around the mall as well.

Their observations continued, and amazingly, the normally combative duo did not ever break out into an argument. In fact, the interactions between them actually seemed quite pleasant.

"I guess they're friends now," Kumiko concluded.

"This is weird."

"Y'know… it's been a while since I've hung out with Natsuki," the brunette recalled, eyebrows furrowing, having to think hard about the last time she spent some quality time with her best friend. "I've only really seen her lately in the mornings when I pick her up for school."

"Same for me and Yuuko," Reina realized.

"Do you think they've been lonely since we've been so busy with each other lately?"

"Maybe…"

"That's a 'new couple' problem, that's for sure," Azusa informed them, to which Amika agreed with a nod, both having accidentally neglected their friends during the first few months of their relationship.

Kumiko and Reina felt a twinge of guilt at that, but it was then immediately replaced with panic once Natsuki and Yuuko began walking out of the store, finished with whatever business they had inside.

"Ack! Hide!" Kumiko yelped, grabbing onto Reina's hand and scrambling behind a nearby vending machine.

"Should we hide too?" Amika asked, unsure what to do.

"It's fine, they don't know you!"

Azusa and Amika leaned against the storefront, trying to appear inconspicuous as possible by looking at their phones as the other girls moved past.

After about thirty feet, Natsuki turned to look back over her shoulder, unable to shake the strange feeling that had been lingering around.

"What is it?" Yuuko asked, noticing that her companion had stopped walking.

"That girl back there looked familiar…" Natsuki answered, squinting her eyes, trying to relocate the girl with the ponytail that jogged her memory. "I swear I've seen her somewhere before."

"She probably goes to our school. Come on," she tugged Natsuki along by her sleeve.

"Alright, alright, no need to rush me, squirt."

"Again… we're the same height!"

The couples reconvened once Natsuki and Yuuko were fully out of sight. Azusa seemed greatly entertained, but suggested, "Maybe we should head out now, if you don't want your friends spotting you."

"Yeah," Kumiko agreed with a relieved sigh. "I don't want this double date turning into nothing but stalking them."

"I'm having fun, though," Amika chirped.

"Me too," Azusa chuckled. "But what should we do next…? Oh, hey, Kumiko—is that bowling alley near downtown still open?"

"Yeah, as far as I know," she answered.

"We should go!"

"Right now?"

"Yeah! It'll be fun!"

"You _would_ want to go bowling… You're way too good at it."

"Azusa looks so cool when she bowls," Amika fawned and clung to her girlfriend's arm yet again.

"I guess that's fine with me," Kumiko relented with a smile, then asked Reina, "What do you think?"

"Yes, that sounds fun," Reina replied, staring down Azusa with a challenging smirk, her competitive nature taking over. "I'll take you down in one strike. …No pun intended."

...

After making their way to the bowling alley in Kumiko's car, the four of them enjoyed a couple of games. Reina gave Azusa a run for her money, but ultimately the trombonist came out in the lead, years of practice on her side.

Eventually, their fun hang out had to end as the evening approached. Kumiko dropped off Amika and Azusa back at the latter's house, exchanging heartfelt goodbyes and hugs.

"Don't be a stranger!" Azusa had said to her dear middle school friend, making her promise to message her more often and to plan on hanging out during spring break when she would be visiting again.

After checking her mirrors and backing out of Azusa's driveway, Kumiko grumbled, "Man, I suck," referring to all her gutter balls.

"You put up a good fight," Reina attempted to comfort her while also giggling at her ineptitude.

"Yours was a lot better."

"I nearly had her."

Kumiko snickered at her fierce tone, smiling fondly. "That's another thing you two have in common—you're both super competitive."

"Oh?" Reina had a glint in her eyes that was both dangerous and playful. "I don't know if I like being compared to your ex, especially if I look like her."

Kumiko laughed. "C'mon, don't call her my 'ex.' That sounds so dramatic. She's my friend. And… no offense to Azusa, but I think you're way prettier."

"Really?"

"Of course." She pounded a fist on the steering wheel to emphasize her next words, "You're, like, the prettiest girl I've ever seen! In my whole life!"

"Focus on the road, please," Reina warned, redirecting Kumiko's attention away from looking at her face.

"You might even be the most beautiful girl in the whole world."

"Flatterer," Reina hid her blushing face in her jacket's collar, feeling herself falling for Kumiko's silly charms all over again. "I think you're beautiful too."

"Ahaha, no way…"

"It's true."

They both smiled, a comfortable silence passing over them. Reina looked out the window, watching the way the street lights reflected against the glass, happily reminiscing over the events of the day and past few months.

Ever since getting to know Kumiko, she not only gained a wonderful girlfriend, but even more friends who were all quite interesting in their own ways. She had spent most of her life dedicated to the trumpet and not much else, previously content to go through life on a solo journey to success in music. While she was still determined to be a professional player, of course, she couldn't deny that it was nice to now have more people to spend time with when she wasn't practicing.

For the first time in forever, she didn't feel so lonely anymore. She considered herself quite lucky to have someone like Kumiko in her life—

"You've also got bigger boobs than Azusa…"

"What was that?" Reina asked, not sure if she heard that right, but she did.

"Ack," Kumiko jolted, eyes widening, resembling someone with their hand caught in the cookie jar. "Uh oh. Did I say that out loud?"

"You did," Reina sighed, shaking her head in amusement. "What am I going to do with you?"

If there was another thing Kumiko was also good for, it was ruining the mood, but Reina knew that she wouldn't have her any other way.


	11. Tender Feelings

Kumiko could be a party person, under the right circumstances.

She rechecked her appearance in her bedroom mirror yet again, making sure she looked good for the Christmas party. More importantly, she wanted to look good for Reina.

The two of them decided to coordinate their outfits with a red-and-black theme, so Kumiko decided to take the dapper approach: black dress pants paired with a red sweater adorned with patterns of white snowflakes and reindeer, with a white dress shirt and black necktie underneath. As for her hair, she went with a low loose ponytail. Reina didn't tell her what she would be wearing, but Kumiko was confident that the other girl would look great as she always did.

Another thing she double-checked was a bag that contained three now-well-wrapped presents. Two of them were for Reina and the other one was for her assigned recipient for the gift exchange, Mizore. Since she didn't know the quiet oboist well at all, finding something for her proved to be a bit difficult.

Again, what really was most important to her was if Reina liked her presents, but Kumiko was also confident that she would.

Hopefully.

Keys in one hand and the bag in the other, Kumiko quickly made her way down the stairs. She called out, "I'm leaving!" to the other room before departing, not wanting to linger around and possibly getting bombarded with questions from her parents. They already knew where she was going.

However, her quick escape was temporarily halted by her sister choosing that exact moment to walk in the front door, having returned from her own holiday shopping and hanging out with friends. Mamiko was back to her normal levels of care and attention to wanting to look as fashionable and presentable as possible, done with having her fill of lounging around in pajamas over the past week after starting to feel stir-crazy.

"Geh."

"Hello to you too," Mamiko quipped at Kumiko's 'greeting.' Taking in her little sister's appearance, she said, "Aw, you look really nice. Where are you off to?"

"A Christmas party at a friend's house," Kumiko responded, trying to make it obvious that she wanted to get going.

"I see," she said, not stepping aside, but smirking. "Will there be any boys there?"

"No, just girls."

…the majority of whom were interested in other girls. Leave it to Asuka to be able to gather possibly the largest collection of lesbians from their school for a holiday get-together. Seriously, what was with their band? Was there some sort of strange overlap between liking brass instruments and boobs?

"Alright," Mamiko nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer before something caught her attention. "Hold on. Your tie's not quite right." She placed her bags down on the floor and stepped forward to undo and fix the necktie, which Kumiko let her do without complaint. "You should learn how to properly tie one."

"Why…?" Kumiko asked quietly, bracing herself for something their mother like say, expecting a well-meaning but hurtful line like 'so you can tie them for your future husband.'

"If you like wearing them, of course." Her tone made it clear that she thought the question was silly. "Neckties look really cute on girls," Mamiko commented as she finished. "There you go."

"Thanks," Kumiko said appreciatively, placing the tie back underneath her sweater and smoothing it out.

"Stay out of trouble," Mamiko told her, petting her head in an Asuka-like manner. Or was it Asuka that usually petted her head in a Mamiko-like manner? Either way, it was nice.

"I'll try."

...

 _"I'm sitting outside,"_ Kumiko texted to Reina after pulling up on the street outside her home, ready to pick her up, as always.

Moments after the message, Reina emerged from the house and moved towards the car as fast as her black heels could carry her, her favorite black pea coat in one arm and her present for the gift exchange in another. As cliché as it sounded, Reina's run appeared to move in slow-motion as Kumiko took in the rest of the girl's outfit from the bottom up: black tights that led up to a mid-thigh length and short-sleeved red dress that definitely accentuated her curves in all the right ways.

After getting in the passenger's seat, Reina slipped into her jacket and then turned to Kumiko, who was staring at her, mouth agape. "What?" she asked.

"Wow!" Kumiko spoke. "You look…" Her normally good vocabulary was failing her today as she tried to find the proper adjective to describe her girlfriend. She finally settled on, "…really hot!"

"So do you," Reina said breathily, leaning close to adjust the collar of Kumiko's dress shirt. Her gaze traveled up and down the other girl's body before making eye contact again. "Very handsome. Gorgeous, even."

"Ah, geez…" Kumiko looked down bashfully, blushing. Receiving compliments like that from her girlfriend was something she was still getting used to, if she'd ever be able to handle it at all. She leaned forward for a kiss, but Reina blocked her with her hand.

"Wait," she said. "You'll smudge my lipstick."

"Aww…"

"…but I can always reapply it."

Eventually, they made it to Asuka's house. After thoroughly double-checking their faces (and necks) for any remnants of lipstick, they exited the car and made their journey from the street up the long cobblestone path to the front door of the Tanaka residence. The place was practically a mansion.

Asuka had told them beforehand to go ahead and walk right in without needing to ring the bell, but Kumiko hesitated before reaching for the doorknob, fear crossing her features. "Uh oh. I just remembered something."

"What?" Reina asked, concerned they had forgotten something.

"Asuka's cats…" she answered with an exaggerated graveness in her voice. "One of them loves me, but the other wants to kill me."

"Oh," Reina said with a laugh. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

Right upon entering the foyer, they were greeted with the sight of a spotted brown cat, its bright yellow eyes staring them down with laser-like precision.

Reina whispered to Kumiko so as not to unnecessarily agitate the beast, "Is that the one that loves or hates you?"

"The hateful one—aaaah, ow, ow, ow!" Kumiko yelped in pain as the cat swiftly pounced on her leg and started biting through the fabric of her dress pants. "Asuka! Help! Your cat's attacking me!"

Asuka soon appeared to come to the rescue. "Bad Ritsu!" she scolded the precocious feline, scooping it up and holding it against her shoulder like a baby. It instantly calmed down, affectionately purring against her chin. The senior crooned at the sophomores, "Aw, aren't you two the most adorable picture perfect couple! You look quite classy."

"Well, that _was_ the theme," Kumiko retorted with a chuckle. "Thanks."

"Thank you," Reina also replied.

Asuka quickly slipped into playing the part of gracious host. "You can hang your jackets over there," she said, motioning to a nearby coat rack and then towards the direction of the den. "The festivities are this way!"

'Grand' was a word that could describe Asuka's gestures, but also the house she lived in. Thanks to the high ceilings, the sound from the conversations and music from the party echoed through the front hallway and the smell of gingerbread wafted through the entire downstairs up to the second floor. The tall and winding staircase was currently decorated with garland.

As impressive as it all was, the size of the house was probably overkill when only two people lived there. With the current activity inside, the residence felt more homey and welcoming, but when Kumiko had been over many times in the past, it was usually much quieter, more imposing, and impersonal… much like Ms. Tanaka herself.

With that thought in mind, Kumiko said to Asuka as they followed, "I'm surprised that your mom let you have all of us over for this."

"She's currently out of town on business. I won't tell if you won't," she winked and made a 'shh' gesture.

"My lips are sealed."

"They're also smeared with someone's red lipstick." As Kumiko quickly covered her mouth with her hand, Asuka cackled like a madwoman. "They're spotless! But I'm sure they weren't earlier, hmm? You two are _so_ easy to read."

"Shut up," she grumbled, her and Reina now feeling embarrassed.

Asuka led them into the den. In front of the large windows proudly stood a tall Christmas tree that could also be described as 'grand,' decorated with gold lights and tinsel and ornaments of all kinds, presents surrounding its base. In lieu of an actual fire, a flat-screen TV was currently on and showing the image of a crackling fireplace, completing the warm and cozy atmosphere.

Hazuki and Midori had yet to arrive, but everyone else on the guest list were around and busying themselves. Nozomi and Mizore were currently cuddling on the large couch against the wall, being their usual cutesy selves, the latter more content to stick close to her girlfriend rather than actively socialize. Haruka and Kaori were preoccupied with setting up a new karaoke machine.

As Reina walked forward to place their gifts for the exchange under the tree with the others, Asuka pulled Kumiko slightly aside to say, "But in all seriousness… I've never seen you look so happy than you do around Reina. You resemble a maiden in love."

"Yeah…" Kumiko said quietly, knowing that the look on her face was probably giving her away as she watched her girlfriend from afar. "I guess I am."

Natsuki made her entrance from the kitchen. "Yo, kiddos!" she greeted the pair with a wave. "Glad you could make it!"

"Hey," Kumiko happily greeted back as she stepped beside Reina. She then complimented her attractive friend's very attractive appearance, "You clean up good, Natsuki."

"Heh, yeah, I guess I do," she smirked, looping her thumbs in the sleeves of her black vest.

"Thanks to me," Yuuko smugly stated after making her own entrance. The blonde then sharply redirected her attention to the black bowtie around the collar of Natsuki's white dress shirt, noticing that it was slightly askew. "Your tie keeps coming undone," she fussed, reaching up to adjust it. "Stop that."

"It's not my fault," Natsuki grumbled, but let Yuuko fix her appearance. "Maybe you should tie it better."

"I tie it just fine—"

"Then why does it keep messing up—"

"If you don't be quiet, I'm going to strangle you with it—"

Kumiko thought that the vibe between them was noticeably different than when Mamiko had adjusted her tie—instead of sisterly doting, it reminded her of her parents, oddly enough. A familiar feeling of awkwardness crept over her and Reina as they witnessed their friends bicker like an old married couple.

"Wait," Kumiko asked, wanting to find out a vital piece of information, "who drove you here, Natsuki?"

"Huh? Yuuko did."

A dumb grin crept over the brunette's face. "Oh, so you came here _together_?"

Natsuki glared at her, knowing what she was insinuating. She stepped back with a deliberate cough upon realizing that Yuuko's hands were still lingering near her collar. "Yeah, she _drove_ me here," she clarified, brushing some non-existent dander off the front of her vest. "Turns out that my house is right on Yuuko's way over here. So it was just convenient."

"Yes, it was a matter of convenience!" Yuuko agreed almost a little too strongly.

"Ah, alright…" Kumiko relented, but still grinned. "Whatever you say."

Yuuko also wanted to strongly change the subject, "Anyway, you two look super cute! That sweater is really nice, Kumiko. And I love your dress, Reina."

"Thank you," Reina replied, playfully curtsying before saying, "It seems that you and Natsuki also had the idea to coordinate your outfits."

"It's a very 'couple' thing to do," Kumiko added. It was fun to get a little payback for all the teasing that had been directed her and Reina's way over the past couple of months.

Natsuki and Yuuko bristled at that comment, turning almost as red as their respective red plaid pants and skirt. "We didn't coordinate!" Yuuko denied, "It was only a coincidence!"

"And we're not a couple!" Natsuki yelped, her normally calm and cool image temporarily replaced with panic and embarrassment. However, she quickly recovered her composure, pointing a thumb in Yuuko's direction, "I mean, who'd want to date _this_ chick? She's such a pain."

" _You're_ the pain," Yuuko replied, always quick on the draw. "And totally rude."

"And you're totally insufferable."

"You think you're so cool when you're _not!"_

"What, like you're cool, ribbon girl?" Natsuki teased as she lightly tugged on the black ribbon atop the blonde's head.

Yuuko smacked her hand away. "You think you can just do whatever you like just because you're attractive—"

"And _you_ think you can get away with anything just 'cause you're cute—"

As the two started slinging unintentional combative compliments at each other, Reina and Kumiko were left to stand on the sidelines, feeling awkward again.

"Maybe we should leave them be for now," Reina leaned up to whisper to Kumiko.

"Yeah," she agreed. "They're kinda hopeless."

...

Another sound that soon echoed throughout the hallway and into the den was Hazuki's screaming.

She burst in, breathing loudly and looking quite haggard. "Listen, you guys! Oh." Remembering her manners for a moment, she started with a bright greeting and a friendly wave, "Hi! How's everyone doing?" before continuing, "Seriously! I have to warn you! Midori may look all sweet and innocent, but she drives like a maniac! Don't put someone that tiny behind the wheel of such a big truck!"

"Hazuki, you might be overreacting," Midori chirped upon making her appearance, dressed in an adorable Santa dress and hat, and also sporting a fake fluffy white beard.

"I am not! You almost ran over that sedan back there—"

"Ho ho ho!" Midori interrupted her friend, slinging her Santa bag from one shoulder to another. "I have come to bring you all Christmas cheer!"

"It's a Santa Sapphire!" Asuka proclaimed.

"It's Midori," she quickly corrected, the jolliness of her voice disappearing for a moment before returning to form, "Midori Claus, to be exact!"

"Welcome to the House of Homos!" Natsuki cheered, raising both arms in the air. (She had been waiting all day to use that line.)

"Midori Claus does not discriminate! She is an equal opportunity gifter! Unless… you've been naughty this year! Which of you have been naughty and which of you have been nice?!"

"Oh, I've been _extremely_ naughty," Asuka admitted, pure mischief dripping from her words. "Who else has been naughty? Show of hands!"

Natsuki raised hers and used the other hand to forcibly raise Yuuko's. "Hey!" the blonde yelled at her.

Reina turned and pointedly looked at her girlfriend. "You should probably raise your hand," she smirked. "You pervert."

"You're one to talk!" Kumiko replied quite indignantly.

In the end, Midori Claus had good tidings for everyone.

...

Kumiko was in the kitchen when Asuka's other cat attacked her, but with love.

"There you are," Reina said, relocating the other girl. "I figured you'd be in here."

"Har, har," Kumiko replied, currently crouching down to the floor and scratching the black cat behind the ears. "I was getting something to drink."

"Oh, is this the cat that loves you?"

"Yep. Her name's Mio. She's super shy," Kumiko told her.

Reina crouched down as well and slowly reached her hand out to the feline, hoping that it would react positively. After a tentative sniff, the cat began happily rubbing her head against Reina's palm.

"Aww, she likes you," Kumiko smiled. "Y'know, animals can tell if people have good souls or not, so I guess this means that you're alright. That's a relief!"

Reina furrowed her eyebrows, her mouth forming a very unamused line. This was probably payback for the 'pervert' comment earlier. "And you're terrible."

As the two made their way back to the den, Reina happened to spot a familiar plant hanging from the door frame.

"What?" Kumiko asked when the other girl stopped walking, but Reina then turned around with a sly look, pointing upwards. "Oh," she responded after looking up, recognizing that it was mistletoe above them.

Reina stepped closer to wrap her arms around Kumiko's neck and the two shared a nice, quick kiss…

…before the moment was ruined by Natsuki shouting at them from across the room, "Gaaaaay!"

"Shut up, Natsuki," Kumiko grumbled, embarrassed at the amount of attention now directed at them.

Later, a more unorthodox couple met under the mistletoe.

"Hello there, contrabass-baby," Asuka sweet-talked, having to lean down almost a foot to get close to Midori's face, and lifted her chin up with her thumb and finger. "Are you ready for your present from me?"

Midori was momentarily captivated by the sparkling blue eyes staring into her soul. "Please be gentle with me," she quietly breathed out as her eyelashes fluttered closed.

"Yeah, get some, Asuka!" Natsuki cheered and wolf-whistled, witnessing this scene as well. "Add another girl to that harem!"

"Asuka, please," Kaori spoke up from behind the mischievous senior, stopping the kiss.

"Aww," both Asuka— _and_ Midori—responded.

"What the heck?" Hazuki exclaimed, not expecting her tiny friend to sound so disappointed. "Are you gay too, Midori?!"

"Hey, when Asuka's around, _everyone's_ gay," Natsuki quipped with a shrug. "You better watch out, Tuba-girl. You might be next."

"No! I don't wanna be gay! Er…" Hazuki immediately tried to save face, waving her arms around frantically, "Not that there's anything wrong with that! It's just not for me! I wasn't born that way!"

"Okay, calm down, kid," she laughed. "Nobody's offended."

Hazuki breathed out a sigh of relief. "But I do still wonder…"

"Wonder what?"

"How do two girls…?"

Natsuki clapped a hand down onto the brunette's shoulder to stop further words from escaping. "You innocent soul. You have much to learn."

...

"It's time for the Super Special Secret Santa Gift Exchange!" Asuka announced at her reappearance in the den, now clad in her own Santa dress, but this one was much more scandalous. Her legs were covered with her usual black tights, but that skirt was certainly quite short.

"Everyone gather 'round, come on, vamanos, amigos," she continued, ignoring the gawking looks and stares. All eleven students sat in a circle near the tree where the gifts had been gathered, most of them shifting around in excitement and curiosity. "Before we get started, I'd like to thank our dear Haruka for organizing this."

"Someone had to do it," Haruka said flatly, referring to how Asuka had forced the duty upon her. "But you're welcome," she said more brightly. "I hope it's fun for everyone!"

"Alright, then let's start!" Asuka reached out and randomly grabbed the closest gift to her. "Oh, it's for me!"

"Did you do that on purpose?" Kaori asked, sitting on Asuka's right.

"I didn't, honest." She opened the box to find a pair of white knit gloves with cute, stylized cat faces on them. "Oh, how cute!"

"Those are from me!" Midori cheered, clapping her hands together. "They're kitten mittens!"

"How adorable! Just like you, dear Sapphire—"

"It's Midori."

"—come over here and let me give you that kiss, in thanks—"

"Asuka, please," Kaori spoke up again, feeling fatigued from her crush always wooing so many other girls.

The gift exchange continued without incident or more suggestions to kiss. Everyone was quite pleased with the presents they received (including Mizore, much to Kumiko's relief). After Asuka and Mizore, they cycled through gifts for Nozomi, Kaori, Haruka, Hazuki, and Midori, which eventually started to leave…

"This one is for Ms. Kousaka," Asuka announced formally, for some reason, handing it to the trumpeter.

Once in Reina's hands, she thought that it felt like a book, and upon uncovering the paper, it was indeed one. More specifically, it was _Looking For Alaska_ by John Green.

"That's from me!" Hazuki said excitedly, raising her arm in the air like a student during role call. "I think you mentioned before that you like to read, right? That book totally seems like something you'd like!"

"Thank you," Reina smiled kindly, trying to not make it obvious that she already owned it. For being so dense in some aspects, Hazuki had indeed pinned her down. She was a fan of all that author's works, even getting her parents to take her to a midnight release of his latest novel three years ago. "I've been needing something new to read."

"Can I see it?" Kumiko asked. After reading the synopsis on the back, she started snickering, "Yeah, this _definitely_ has 'Reina' written all over it." Reina lightly swatted her arm at that comment, not liking whatever she meant by that (even if she wasn't wrong).

Next, it was Natsuki's turn. "Woah," she said, pleasantly surprised to see the familiar cover of the game she wanted to buy at Mr. C's over a month ago, but didn't. "I expected this to be from Kumiko, so who—"

"It's from me," Yuuko stubbornly admitted, fiddling with the hem of her skirt, refusing to look at the redhead.

"Oooh?" Asuka singsonged, lips quirking into a devious smile. "Haruka, I thought you organized this so that the couples wouldn't get each other."

"We're not a couple!" Natsuki and Yuuko yelled in unison.

"Are you suuuuure?"

"Yes," Natsuki said firmly before addressing the girl next to her, trying to play it cool. "Anyway… Thanks a lot. I'm surprised you went back and got it for me. It was really thoughtful."

Yuuko made the mistake of looking back at Natsuki's face, immediately becoming entranced by the charming combination of the girl's warm smile and lovely voice. "…You're welcome."

"On that note, this present is for Yuuko," Haruka announced, saving the blonde from her flustered feelings.

"Ooh, goodie!" she said excitedly, but then whined, "I was hoping that it would be from Kaori, but…"

Natsuki huffed, "It's from me."

"You could've waited until I opened it. Now you've got me worried…" She opened the tiny box to find a pair of earrings inside. "Oh. Are these…?"

"Yeah," Natsuki confirmed, now feeling flustered herself. "After you saw them at the mall, you kept going on and on about them, so I figured…"

Yuuko tried her hardest to fight a blush from creeping up. "Thank you…" she said almost inaudibly, but Natsuki heard her.

Asuka leaned over to whisper to Haruka, "Okay, did you _plan_ this?"

"I didn't, I swear," Haruka lightly chuckled. "But the results were quite lovely, weren't they?"

"Indeed. Oh, there appears to be one present left… Last but not least, this is for Kumiko, from me!"

Instead of passing it over normally, she lightly tossed it to the younger girl.

"What the—why is it so heavy?" Kumiko complained as the present landed in her lap like a brick. After tearing the paper away, she met with the face of a cherry-flavored five-pound gummy bear, its dead-eyed stare practically taunting her. "Oh. Why would you do this?"

"You're welcome!" Asuka said as if she had actually been thanked. "It seemed like the perfect present for you. And, if you're brave enough, it comes with a part two." She pulled out her phone from places unknown—did that Santa outfit even have pockets?—and continued with a grin, "I'll give you $20 if you eat some of it on camera."

Normally, Kumiko would immediately reject that proposal, but the offer was currently very tempting. After buying Reina's Christmas presents and doting on her so much in general lately, she was pretty broke. However, she didn't want to suffer alone. "I'll do it if Natsuki joins in."

"No way," the redhead replied. "I hate being on camera."

Yuuko had managed to recover just in time for some appropriate teasing. "Afraid that the camera adds 10 pounds?" she asked, poking Natsuki in her side.

Natsuki tried to contain a girlish squeak from being prodded at a ticklish spot. "Excuse you!"

"There's also the old myth that cameras steal souls… but you need to have a soul in the first place…"

"You're really starting to tick me off."

Asuka loudly cleared her throat. "Will you two please stop flirting for a moment—"

"We're not flirting!" they shouted in unison again.

"—and focus on the _present."_ No one was quite sure if that pun was intentional or not, but it probably was.

"Come on, Natsuki," Kumiko begged. "Please?"

" _Fine,"_ she grumbled, unable to say no to her best friend's puppy dog eyes.

...

For someone that apparently didn't enjoy being filmed, Natsuki was currently hamming it up for the camera.

"So my good buddy Kumiko and I are gonna eat some of a five-pound gummy bear," she announced, setting the scene for the future audience of their close friends on Facebook (and possibly YouTube), sitting at the kitchen table with two paper plates in front of her.

Kumiko walked back into frame, having freed the gummy creature from its plastic confines with scissors, and now needed to cut it in half with a knife. She plopped the confectionary onto the plates with a loud 'thump.'

Natsuki picked up the packaging, reading the information on the back, "According to this, this thing is equivalent to… 1400 regular-sized gummy bears! You could manage eating that many, kid."

"I could not," Kumiko responded, standing up again, trying to get some leverage with the knife. "I also can't cut this thing!"

Natsuki continued, ignoring her friend's troubles, "It's also apparently 6120 calories! Holy shit! That's a lot."

"Aaaaaugh, this is a nightmare," Kumiko kept whining during her attempts to decapitate the gummy bear.

"Then again, you could probably also manage to eat that amount of calories in a day."

Giving up with the knife after a certain point, Kumiko tried to rip it apart with her hands. "Aaaugh! It feels so gross! Ew!"

"This company also sells gummy alligators, gummy rabbits, gummy—" she stopped talking, distracted by her friend's continued wailing. "Need some help?"

"Nope. Got it," she announced with a tired sigh, sitting back down.

Natsuki grabbed the plate with the head on it, sliding it to herself. "I'll take this half."

"You do need to get a _head_ in life." Asuka wasn't the only one capable of lame puns.

"…That was terrible. Just for that, you take the first bite. I mean, it is _your_ present."

"Fine… Here goes nothing." She hesitated for a moment, steeling herself before chomping down.

"How is it?"

"…Delicioush," Kumiko mumbled, clearly unhappy. She placed the bitten-into body of the bear down and gripped the edge of the table, chewing out of desperation. "It's… it's too much."

"You're really selling it for me. But let's do this!" Natsuki proclaimed before tearing off one of the ears with her teeth. "Oh, god," she groaned, her mouth full. "It's like… a wad of NyQuil."

Asuka tried to contain the noises and shaking caused by her laughter from behind the camera.

Kumiko gasped loudly after managing to get that bite down. "I mean… it's _good_ , I guess, but geez."

"You should take another big bite," Natsuki said, still chewing. Kumiko was about to say no, before the redhead added, "I'll give you $5."

Clearly, Kumiko was desperate for some cash, since she took another bite, but then immediately regretted it. "Urgh," she groaned, looking sick. "Nope. Too gross."

While Kumiko got up and loudly spit out the candy into the garbage can, Natsuki finished swallowing, and said, "It's not that bad after you get used to it," before biting off the other ear.

Yuuko and Reina watched this unfold from the sidelines. Yuuko commented on the scene, "Your girlfriend is dumb."

"So is yours," Reina smirked.

"She's not my girlfriend!"

...

After that silliness occurred, things began to wind down. Some were in the kitchen snacking again while others were gathered around the karaoke machine in the living room, ready to take their turn after Mizore finished the most quiet rendition of "Little Drummer Boy" ever with Nozomi as her backup beatboxing.

Kumiko leaned back into the couch with a groan. "I can still taste that gummy bear," she complained to Reina, who was sitting next to her.

"I'm curious about what it tastes like," Reina said, scooting closer.

"Sorry, but you missed your chance. We threw it away."

"Hm… There's another way I could taste it."

"Huh?" Kumiko asked confusedly… before things clicked when she noticed the almost sultry way Reina was looking at her—or more specifically, at her lips. "Oh."

"Come with me," Reina said not-so-innocently as she grabbed Kumiko by the hand to pull her up.

"Okay," she quietly replied, more than content to be led anywhere. Wherever Reina wanted to go, she would follow, even if it was to the ends of the earth.

The current journey was much shorter than that, though, as the two tried to find a secluded room in the Tanaka home to make out in for a little bit. Reina stopped at a door that was slightly ajar and pushed it open, assuming that it was empty.

They didn't expect the room to already be occupied…

…especially not by Natsuki and Yuuko, who seemed to have had the same idea they did, if their position and appearances were any indication.

At the sound of the door creaking, the juniors snapped out of their current lip lock, their faces quite flushed. Yuuko's skirt was quite rumbled and riding a bit high, while the previously-fussed-over bowtie on Natsuki's neck was currently undone, along with the two top buttons on her vest and shirt.

The four of them stood there, staring at each other, the most awkward silence in existence passing over them.

"Wrong room. Excuse us," Reina said, trying to stay stone-faced before quickly shutting the door. She and Kumiko darted back to the den, now fearing for their lives.

That was probably their cue to leave.

...

After getting over the initial shock of catching their best friends in such a compromising position, Kumiko and Reina laughed all the way back to the latter's house.

Since Reina was going to be out of town with her parents visiting relatives states away for a week starting tomorrow, they decided to go ahead and give each other their Christmas presents. The girls quickly made their way up to Reina's room, both of them eager to see the the other's reactions to what they picked out.

"I got you a couple of things," Kumiko started, pulling out the two presents from the bag she brought in, and placed them on the bed in front of her girlfriend.

"Same here," Reina said, having procured two gifts as well. "I want you to open one first," she excitedly stated, radiating an almost-childlike excitement that Kumiko found adorable. She held out one of the boxes for the other girl to take. "Here."

"Ooh, what could it be?" Kumiko asked, trying to gauge the box's weight before removing the paper and popping the lid off. Looking inside, the first thing she saw were some bright pink buds attached to the end of some sort of plant. "Oh, it's a Christmas cactus!" she recognized it immediately before even checking the information label attached to it.

"You don't already have one, do you?" Reina asked.

"I don't. I used to, but it died a while ago… so I wanted a new one. They're cute. Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Reina smiled before getting down to business, "Alright, my turn."

"Here you go," Kumiko said, deliberately giving her the larger box.

Inside was a purple, black, and white striped scarf. "Oh, it's really soft," Reina commented as she picked it up and rubbed it against her cheek. "I did need a new scarf."

"I know. You're always getting cold," Kumiko teased. "I wanted to give you the scarf I was making in home ec, but…" she chuckled and scratched the back of her head. "It didn't turn out so well. I think I'll leave the knitting to the professionals."

Reina also chuckled. "Well, I appreciate the thought. Thank you."

Kumiko proceeded to open her second present. "Ooh! What is this? A new watch?"

"It is. I noticed yours was getting a little worse for the wear," Reina explained, referring to the torn and frayed strap and cracked screen of the current watch on the other girl's wrist.

"Definitely. I'm putting this on right now," she said, pulling her sleeve down to replace it with the new one. The smooth pink strap was soft against her skin. "A perfect fit!"

"You can even change the color of the display. It also shows the current temperature and other information, if you want it to."

"Ooh, neat," Kumiko said, experimenting with the buttons on the sides. "I hope it wasn't too expensive." She cycled through the color options before settling on pink, thinking that it looked snazzy against the black background of the square screen. "This is so cool! Thanks so much!"

"You're welcome," Reina smiled, extremely happy that the presents she carefully picked out were so well-received.

After putting her sleeve back in place, the brunette then grabbed the smaller box with a slightly shaking hand. "I got you something else to wear. I think you'll like it."

"You sound confident," Reina said, not noticing the other girl's nervous excitement. "Oh…" Recognition crossed her face as she looked at the sterling silver treble clef charm and chain. "Is this that necklace I was looking at at the mall?"

"Yep!" Kumiko chirped, feeling quite proud of herself.

"You went back and bought it for me?"

"Of course," she smiled. "You said it was cute."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Reina warmly smiled back, her heart fluttering. "I love it."

"I love you," Kumiko immediately said. However, upon realizing what had slipped out, she slapped a hand over her mouth in panic. Taking Reina's surprised expression the wrong way, she attempted to backpedal, "Uhh—I mean—Err—Is it too early to say that—I'm sorry—"

"It's okay," Reina stopped her rambling, placing the necklace aside to hold Kumiko's hand in both of hers. Looking right at her girlfriend, eyes shining and voice full of emotion, she told her, "I love you too."

Kumiko stared back at Reina, her own eyes now starting to water a little bit more with each blink. "I'm glad," she said, softly smiling from relief and happiness.

They shared a long, sweet, and tender kiss. After separating, they started giggling much like they did after their first confession almost two months ago, silly smiles spreading across their faces.

Reina scooted further forward and tightly wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. "Merry Christmas, Kumiko."

"Merry Christmas, Reina," Kumiko replied as she returned the embrace, never wanting to let go.

As sappy as it sounded, they considered each other to be the best gift of all.

...

a/n: The events of this chapter would have been more relevant back when I first started publishing this fic, but I cannot write that fast, so I hope you enjoyed reading about Christmas even though it's now February. This also could have been a fine spot to end the story, but it's not close to over yet. There's still some more things to explore. See you in the next one!


	12. Heartful Cry

The first thing Kumiko heard as her feet touched the concrete of the Kousakas' driveway was the solo part of _Crescent Moon Dance_.

"Oh, it's Reina," she said to herself. Reina would of course be the most obvious source of trumpet playing in the neighborhood, but Kumiko also knew it was her by the girl's distinct sound and style.

Instead of going to ring the doorbell, Kumiko walked around the side of the house, looking upwards to locate the source of the music. The mental image she had created of Reina standing out on her balcony to play turned out to be an actual thing that occurred. The dry grass loudly crunched underneath her shoes, but the noise and her presence went unnoticed by the musician above her.

Kumiko had once compared Reina to a goddess, but at the moment, she resembled royalty as she performed with the confidence and regality of a queen. Her music was like a proud declaration to a sea of commoners below, but the current audience was only one very captivated girl.

"Wow," Kumiko breathed out in awe. Her breath being visible in the air reminded her of the chill outside, and that she should probably get Reina's attention instead of standing there and admiring her from below. She waited for a pause in the practice to start clapping, startling the girl above out of the mental zone that playing usually put one into. "Bravo!"

"Kumiko!" Reina called out to her, face bright with happiness, and her nose and cheeks also reddened from the weather. "The front door's open, so you can come inside. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Okay!" Kumiko said before jogging back around to the front and entering the house.

Reina's estimation of being down in 'a few minutes' was exaggerated, since she was already quickly descending the stairs. Kumiko had to let her bag drop to the floor so she could catch the girl who decided to jump into her arms.

"Kumiko," Reina happily said her name again.

"Reina," Kumiko said back as she lifted the other girl off her feet for a moment, causing her to laugh. "I—"

What she was going to say was interrupted when Reina grabbed her face with both hands to pull her down, bringing their lips together. Kumiko managed to catch this quick show of affection as well, returning the kiss with equal amounts of energy.

"I missed you," Reina said, having effectively taken the breath and words right out of her mouth.

"Me too," Kumiko replied after recovering.

By all appearances, it looked like the two had been apart for a month, but it was only a week. For the two positively smitten teenagers, it had felt like forever.

While Reina was out of town, they communicated via texting, but it was the longest they had physically been apart since becoming friends and a couple. The old saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' certainly rang true in this case, but they were already quite fond of each other without any added distance.

"Come on," Reina said as she tugged the other girl forward. "We can catch up in my room."

"By 'catch up' do you mean 'kiss some more'?" Kumiko teased, letting Reina lead her up the stairs by the hand.

"Getting right down to business, hm?"

"Hey, you're the one that shoved your tongue in my mouth the moment I walked in."

"I didn't use any tongue!"

Reina's room was tidy as usual, but appeared more lived-in than during previous visits. An unpacked suitcase sat open on the floor and her new favorite scarf was draped along the back of her desk chair.

"Are your parents not home?" Kumiko asked as she removed her jacket and set her overnight bag down beside the unmade bed. That well-loved husky plush was peeking out from underneath the covers.

"They're at a New Year's party get-together sort of event," Reina responded, trying to straighten out the sheets and discreetly moving the stuffed animal aside before sitting down against the headboard. "They like to keep busy, always out socializing."

"Ah, I see," Kumiko nodded and sat down on the bed. "They're both workaholics, right?"

"Yes, especially my mom."

"I guess you got more than just your hotness from her."

Reina narrowed her eyes at her stupidly grinning girlfriend. "…Did you just call my mother hot?"

"…No…" Kumiko said, looking away and nervously fiddling with her fingers. "Anyway, it was a compliment!"

"Simply terrible," Reina said, pretending to be annoyed. "Oh," she recalled, reaching over to her nightstand to grab something. "Here's your 3DS back. Thanks for lending it to me. It really came in handy during the long car rides."

"You're welcome," Kumiko smiled. The handheld was on, with Pokemon Moon currently open. Curious, she checked Reina's progress in the game and was immediately impressed. "Whoa, you've got a pretty badass team here. How many hours did you play?"

"A lot," Reina sheepishly admitted. "I was bored a lot, and there's only so many times I can re-read _Looking For Alaska_ … but this is why I can't play games. I get way too into them. I have to be the very best."

"Like no one ever was!"

"Yes, exactly," Reina agreed, not catching the reference.

Kumiko saved the game and leaned over the edge of the bed to drop the handheld on top of her bag. "So you wouldn't want me to get you a 3DS for your birthday?"

"Well… If it was a gift, I couldn't say no, could I?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Kumiko noted, scooting back closer to her girlfriend. The glimmer of sterling silver hanging from Reina's neck caught her attention. "Hey, you're wearing the necklace I got you," she smiled, scooping up the charm in her left hand to take a closer look at it again. "It looks good on you."

"Of course," Reina responded to both statements. "And I see you're wearing your new watch."

"Yeah, it's awesome! Let's see, it says that it's 39°F outside… which reminds me, isn't it a bit cold to be out there playing your trumpet?"

"Yes, it's a bit brisk…" Her eyes glinted with playful determination. "But I like the challenge."

"Hehe. That's so you." Kumiko leaned down to place a kiss on the corner of the other girl's mouth, tasting brass and strawberry on her lips. "I missed you."

Reina decided to say, "I love you."

Caught off-guard by that passionate statement, Kumiko started giggling and blushing. "Ah, geez…"

"Why are you getting so embarrassed?" Reina chuckled, brushing some hair from the brunette's face as she often liked to do. "You're the one who said it first."

"I know, but… it just makes me so happy!" she giddily stated. "I can't handle it sometimes."

"Dork."

After a few kisses, Kumiko remembered to say back, "Oh. I love you too."

"I'm glad," Reina giggled.

Conversation quickly became replaced with more kissing. It was another thing they missed.

Reina was enjoying the moment until an unwelcome thought that had begun to fester lately reappeared, like an annoying fly buzzing in the back of her mind. She broke off from their current kiss, and Kumiko tried to follow her with her mouth, but met nothing but air.

Upon opening her eyes, Kumiko saw an uncomfortable expression on Reina's face. "Is something wrong?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something that's been bothering me," Reina quietly said, glancing downwards.

"It's not my kissing, is it?" Kumiko asked worriedly.

"No," she laughed and reassuringly placed a quick peck on Kumiko's lips. "Your kisses are definitely not a problem. Other than the fact that they're too addicting." She moved back a bit to sit with her legs underneath her, playfulness now replaced with nervousness. "It's… something else. It's probably ridiculous."

"I'll be the judge of that," Kumiko joked, but it didn't land. "Sorry. Go on."

"It's… about Azusa."

Kumiko raised her eyebrows, not expecting that at all. "Do you not like her?"

"It's not that. She's very nice. The double date was fun. It's just…" Reina continued to fidget with her skirt, worried what the other girl might think. "She kept bringing up how the two of you used to date, that she was your 'first love' and all… and Amika kept going on about how much Azusa and I look alike…"

"Reina…"

"It got me wondering," Reina continued, trying to keep her composure, but her emotions got the better of her and she began crying, "if I'm just a… replacement."

"Of course not!" Kumiko immediately said, quickly moving closer to comfort her girlfriend. "Reina… Come on, baby, please don't cry," she soothed, wiping away a fallen tear on Reina's cheek with her thumb and softly kissing the other. "I'm sorry. They didn't mean to upset you. You are definitely _not_ a replacement."

"B-but…" she choked out. "You're always saying how much you like ponytails… and Azusa wears _her_ hair in a ponytail…"

"Oh. That," Kumiko chuckled sheepishly. "I like ponytails because they're cute on girls in general, not because of Azusa. You're lovely no matter how you wear your hair."

Reina was clearly not convinced and still upset, so Kumiko pulled her closer. The smaller girl sat halfway in her lap, burying her face in her shoulder. Kumiko placed a gentle kiss on the side of her head before beginning her explanation, "Yeah, you and her look alike, but that's all personal preference stuff. And it's true that you initially caught my eye 'cause of your looks—'cause, I mean, you're gorgeous—but it was getting to know you for _you_ that made me really fall for you."

"Really?" Reina quietly asked, still sniffling.

"Yes, really. And it's also true that you and Azusa are both competitive and want to be professional musicians… but that's about where the similarities end. Remember when you asked me if she and I would still be together if she didn't have to move away?"

"I do…" Reina said, remembering the conversation from their sleepover months ago.

"Pretty sure I said 'probably not,' and after hanging out with her again, the answer is ' _definitely_ not.' No offense to her," she clarified, worried about sounding too mean. "She's my friend, and I like being her friend, and that's all. After that double date, I was _exhausted_. She's just too much. I don't know how Amika deals with her," she exaggeratedly sighed. "But that's them."

Her voice became fonder while she told Reina, "When I'm with you… I don't get tired like that. I feel relaxed… but also re-energized… if that makes sense? Like, you don't drain me, but you recharge me."

Reina lifted her head again to look at Kumiko, seemingly amazed by her same exact thoughts being put into words. "I feel the same way."

"Awesome," Kumiko brightly smiled. "So what I'm trying to say is… I want to be with you not because you're some Azusa 2.0, but because you're Reina."

Tears continued to well up in Reina's eyes, but now due to a more positive emotion. "I'm glad."

"Even if you are a crybaby," Kumiko teased.

"I'm not a crybaby," Reina whined, not being convincing at all, hiding her face back in Kumiko's shoulder. The brunette chuckled at that.

After a few minutes, the heightened emotions settled down.

"You okay?" Kumiko asked, rubbing slow circles on the smaller girl's back.

"Yes," Reina responded after taking a deep breath, her eyes red from tears, and also apologetic. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so upset."

"Aw, it's alright. You don't have to apologize. You can talk to me about anything, okay?"

Reina nodded appreciatively, now reassured. "Thank you. Same goes for you."

Hoping to lighten the mood, Kumiko asked, "Are there any past loves from your life I should know about?"

Reina scoffed with a smile, "No. You're my first girlfriend… My first anything, actually."

"Even your first crush?"

"Well… um," Reina hesitated, not wanting to admit to her past infatuation, but also thinking that she might as well since there was no harm in it. "I did have a crush on my band director in middle school."

"Oh, really?" Kumiko asked, now extremely curious.

"Yes… He's quite talented, and I thought he was so cool, and handsome. I always wanted his attention," she rolled her eyes and lightly laughed. "It was really silly. I'm certain he's at least twice my age."

"I see," Kumiko responded, unable to relate to having any romantic attraction towards men, but nodded in understanding. "Did he wear glasses?" Reina didn't answer with words, but she didn't need to—her expression said it all. She started laughing, "Are you serious? I was just joking! Reina…"

"Well… Glasses are quite attractive…" she tried to explain.

"I see how it is… You always want me in glasses to remind you of your true love, but you settled for me…"

Reina appeared panicked. "I didn't settle!"

"I know," Kumiko kept chuckling, but those words were definitely nice to hear. "I'm just teasing."

"Hmph," she pouted. "You're always teasing me."

"Because it's fun. And you're too cute."

Reina hmph'd again, resting her head back on Kumiko's shoulder. They contently cuddled together for many minutes, a comfortable silence passing over them—until it was broken by Reina yawning.

"Are you tired?"

"Yes…" Reina sighed. "My family got back late last night after driving all day."

"Aw," Kumiko said, reaching up to tuck some of Reina's hair behind her ear. "Do you want to take a nap?"

"No," she stubbornly huffed against Kumiko's neck. "I don't want to spend our time together asleep."

"But you might get even crankier."

"I'm not cranky."

"You also seem a bit fussy."

"Shut up. You're a jerk."

"Yep, you're cranky."

"I am not!"

The back-and-forth continued while Kumiko used one of her hands to push against Reina's shoulder to make her lie down. The smaller girl put up a fight until she was resting comfortably on her side, using Kumiko's upper arm as a pillow. With another yawn, she finally began to give into her desire to sleep. "You better not let me nap too long."

"I won't," Kumiko responded to the gentle threat, soothingly running her fingers through dark hair.

...

Kumiko awoke about two hours later to find herself being used as a human body pillow, with one of Reina's legs draped over her and hands clinging to the back of her shirt. The girl's grip was quite impressive, despite being asleep.

"So clingy," Kumiko said to herself, smiling, as she started to play with Reina's hair again. It fell through her fingers like ink, the colors of the strands changing due to the light of the sunset filtering in through the window behind her. However, the trance had to be broken before too much time slipped away. "Reinaaa," she softly said, trying to shift around in the vice grip. "It's time to wake up."

"Five more minutes," she muttered.

"How cliché," Kumiko chuckled. "Come on, let me up."

"No. You're warm."

"I really gotta go to the bathroom."

"Alright, fine," Reina relinquished her hold, but still kept her eyes closed.

"Here," Kumiko placed the stuffed husky that had been sitting nearby into her arms. "Use your little buddy as a substitute."

"His name is Kona," she sleepily informed the other girl as her grip on the plush tightened.

Kumiko nearly died from the sheer cuteness. "Good to know."

...

The two of them made their way downstairs after Reina fully returned to the waking world, lured into the kitchen by the smell of good food.

"Hello, girls!" Miki cheerily greeted them from the stove. "Did you have a good nap?"

Reina opened her mouth to reply, but out came an embarrassed squeak upon realizing that her mother must have seen them cuddling in her bed to know that they took a nap together. Kumiko also looked slightly embarrassed. "Yes, it was nice," she said after clearing her throat. "I thought that you and Dad were going to be back later tonight."

"Oh, the event we went to was boring, so we left early," Miki dismissively waved the hand that wasn't stirring the contents of the pot. "We'll be seeing our more exciting colleagues tomorrow, so that should be fun."

Tomorrow was New Year's Eve. Reina's parents clearly had the more interesting social life, especially compared to Kumiko's family who would most likely spend the evening watching the news before falling asleep at 10pm.

"Thank you for having me, ma'am," Kumiko spoke up politely.

"Anytime, dear! You're always welcome here, as often as you like." Miki teasingly added, "You really do need to stop calling me 'ma'am,' though."

"Sorry, ma'am. Err—ah. Sorry. Force of habit."

...

After a satisfying dinner of stew, Kumiko and Reina decided to have a mini-movie marathon in the den, snuggling close under a shared blanket.

Before the second movie started up, Mrs. Kousaka entered to ask, "Would you girls like some champagne?"

"Seriously?" Kumiko asked incredulously.

"Sure, why not!" Miki smiled. "You're both 16—that's the legal drinking age in France, isn't it?" It was not, and they were not in France. "And you're not driving home tonight, so it's fine. What better way to ring in the almost-new year?"

Yes, Reina's parents were _definitely_ interesting, Kumiko thought as she watched the bubbles in the glass now placed in her hand.

After Miki left them alone again, Kumiko asked Reina, "Have you ever had champagne before?"

"I have not. This will be a new experience."

"Your mom seemed awfully eager to get us to drink…"

"She's just very excitable," Reina calmly said before taking an equally calm sip. "Hm. That tastes interesting."

"Hey, yeah, it's not bad," Kumiko agreed after taking a sip herself. "Oh! Should we make a toast?"

"To what?"

"To… I dunno, the new year, or something. Or to our resolutions."

"I don't make resolutions," Reina retorted with a haughty smile, swirling the contents of her glass around. "I'm already perfect."

Kumiko laughed. "Ah, yes, how foolish of me to think that you would need to improve on your amazing self."

"To a great year together?"

"To a great year together," Kumiko nodded. "Cheers."

Clink.

It soon became evident that Reina did need to improve on at least one thing, though: her tolerance to alcohol. After they both finished their allowed two glasses of champagne, the dark-haired girl started acting quite silly and extremely flirty.

"Kumikooo," Reina drawled as she crawled into Kumiko's lap, legs straddling the other girl's hips.

"Yes, Reina?" she asked amusedly. Her right elbow was resting on the arm of the couch as she leaned back, letting the tipsy girl do as she pleased.

"I wanna tell you a secret."

"What is it?"

Reina exaggeratedly looked all around, checking for possible eavesdroppers. There could be a ninja hiding in the potted plant in the corner, for all she knew. Satisfied, she leaned over to Kumiko's ear and whispered, "…I have a crush on you."

"Oh no," Kumiko said sarcastically, but with a smile and a laugh. "Now you've made things awkward between us."

"Nooooo," she whined. "You're mean."

"And you're cute."

"Okay," Reina continued, gripping onto Kumiko's shoulders, partly for balance and partly to steel herself. "I have another secret to tell you."

"Alright," she said, expecting another obvious admission.

Reina moved back near the brunette's ear to more quietly whisper, "…I think you're really sexy."

"Oh?" Kumiko couldn't help but blush. "Not just in glasses?"

"You're sexy all the time," she kept whispering. "I really want to… um…" The liquid courage from the champagne apparently wasn't quite enough to let her intended words escape. Her face showed hesitation for a moment, then switched back to that familiar determination before placing her lips on Kumiko's neck.

"Ah—" Kumiko vocalized as Reina started kissing the sensitive skin there. It was nice to be on the receiving end of this kind of affection, being quite weak there herself. Reina continued planting kisses up her neck before placing one on her ear—her ultimate weak spot—making her squirm. She then worked her way down her jawline, and Kumiko thought she was going to kiss her mouth, but Reina moved back the opposite way at the last moment, causing Kumiko to whine for more than one reason.

If Reina was trying to seduce her, it was definitely working. It was working so well that for a moment she completely forgot that they were in a place where they could easily be caught in the act.

"Reina… St-stop…" Kumiko forced herself to say, fighting against her body's desires, but her brain was still trying to be logical. "Y-your mom might come back…"

"It's fine," Reina replied without worry before biting down.

Kumiko bit down on her own lip to keep quiet. Her brain ceased all logical thought, only focusing on the feeling of Reina's teeth and lips biting and sucking on her neck.

Soon, curious hands started making their way under her shirt. Kumiko whimpered from the pleasurable sensation of Reina's cold hands against her stomach, but _really_ had to speak up again before those hands continued their journey higher, "Reina, wait."

"Hm?" Reina asked, eyes clouded with a combination of desire and inebriation. "Do you not like this?"

"N-no, I do… Um, just… not _here._ "

"Then where?"

A strange squawking noise escaped Kumiko's mouth. What was she supposed to say? 'Your bedroom'? What would happen once they got there…?

She wouldn't find out the conclusion to that particular scenario this evening, however, since Reina then tiredly rested her head on Kumiko's shoulder and said, "I'm sleepy," before immediately drifting off on top of her.

There wasn't much Kumiko could do but stare open mouthed at the sleeping girl's face while the tingles dissipated and her heart calmed down. As her senses returned to her, so did relief… but she couldn't deny that she was also disappointed. She took a deep breath and let it out, mentally recovering and physically preparing herself for having to carry Reina back upstairs to put her to bed.

This girl was going to be the death of her.

...

Kumiko woke up the next morning in Reina's bed, roused (as opposed to aroused) from slumber by her girlfriend calling her name from the other side of the room.

"Kumiko, wake up!"

"Wh—wha?" the brunette blearily blinked, slowly sitting up. "What's happening?"

"Look outside!"

She was unable to concentrate on whatever Reina was saying since her attention was immediately directed to the girl's current lack of pants. When and where on earth had they disappeared to? The trumpeter seemed unfazed from standing there in just a t-shirt, socks, and underwear—which were a light purple with little white polka dots, very cute, Kumiko mentally noted—as she excitedly pointed out the window.

"It's snowing."

Kumiko snapped out of her staring at Reina's very nice pale legs to look outside instead. "Oh. So it is." Clothed in a shirt _and_ pajama pants, she braved the cold air outside the covers to stand next to Reina and watched the ground outside continue to be blanketed by white.

"I always enjoy the tranquility of a new snowfall," the half-naked girl poetically began. "When the world stands still, and everything appears so crisp, and new, untouched. It's like a blank canvas."

"Yeah," Kumiko agreed, still mostly distracted.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Beautiful."

"Are you even listening—uh." Reina's eyes widened. "Kumiko… What happened to your neck?"

Kumiko unconsciously slapped a hand over the spot Reina was pointing to and winced from pain. Rushing over to the mirror, she exclaimed with pure horror, "Oh my god!" On the left side of her neck was a _very_ sizable purplish bruise. " _Reina! You're_ what happened to it!"

Reina may not have had the current decency to be wearing pants, but she did have the decency to look at least somewhat sheepish and remorseful. "Oops."

"Yeah, _'oops!'_ Oh my god," she wailed again. "What am I gonna do?!"

"You can borrow a scarf. It is the season for it."

"I can't wear a scarf _all_ the time until this goes away… And wipe that smug smile off your face!"

"Sorry," she said, turning away and holding a hand up to her mouth, ineffectively hiding her amusement. Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. "But you have to admit that how you got that was fun, wasn't it?"

"Reina, I am going to _kill you_."

...

Having returned home, Kumiko was sweating with panic, but also from the warmth of the scarf tightly wrapped around her neck. She frantically searched through the drawers in the downstairs bathroom looking for foundation or powder or _something_ to cover up the mark that Reina had claimed her with.

Finding nothing so far, she crouched down to hunt through the cabinet under the sink, but had to temporarily remove the scarf getting in her way.

"What are you doing?"

"Buwaaah!" Kumiko yelped and jumped up in fright, not expecting her sister to suddenly appear behind her, even though this was mainly her bathroom. "Uh… nothing! Just looking for something!"

"Okay…" Mamiko responded, instantly suspicious. "What are you looking for?"

"A… ah, er… a hairdryer! Mine burned up and I need to borrow yours. Yeah…"

"It's packed in my suitcase. Your hair's dry, so you obviously don't need it right now, do you?"

"Well, no, but… for later! It's been really cold in my room lately—y'know, cause it's over the garage—I mean, you would know that—and, uh, it really sucks to have wet hair when it's cold…"

"Why are you acting even weirder than usual?" Despite Kumiko's hunched over posture to try and hide herself, Mamiko spotted something odd about her appearance in the reflection of the mirror. "Hold on. What is _that?!"_

"Wh—what is what?!"

Mamiko lunged forward and grabbed Kumiko by the collar to forcibly turn her around. _"That!"_ she pointed.

"I… uh… got hit in the neck with a snowball!" she stuttered out, reaching out for an excuse, but was only able to grab the edge of the sink behind her.

"You did not! That's a _hickey!_ Oh my god, I _knew_ it."

"Knew what?" Kumiko winced, trying to get away, but Mamiko held her in place.

"Come on, Kumiko, it's totally obvious. You've got that _look_. Every time I see you checking your phone, you've got this dopey smile on your face, and you're always dressed up when you leave the house. You've got a boyfriend, don't you?"

"No! I… I don't have a boyfriend…"

"What, so some random guy did this to you?" Mamiko asked accusingly.

Kumiko was trapped, unable to run her mouth or her body out of this situation. "It wasn't a guy."

"Then how—"

Kumiko knocked Mamiko's hand away to raise her own to cover her face as tears and confessions spilled out, "It was a girl! It was my girlfriend! I'm a lesbian." More quietly, she pleaded, "Please don't hate me."

Mamiko stood there in shock, trying to catch up with and process the information that had just been thrown at her. The sound of a quiet choked sob quickly brought her back to the current situation.

"You dummy…" Mamiko sighed with fond exasperation, pulling her little sister into a hug and patting her head. "Why would I ever hate you? Especially over something like that. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared," Kumiko muttered, now clinging to her sister. "And I thought you didn't want to talk to me anymore… like I did something wrong."

Mamiko sighed again, feeling guilty. "I'm really sorry, Kumiko. It wasn't your fault. It was mine. School's been really stressful… and I've been feeling sad and tired a lot, and haven't wanted to talk to anyone. I'm sorry."

"I missed you."

"I missed you too. Come on, it's okay. Pull it together," she lightly teased, stepping back and giving Kumiko's head one last pat. "So, you like girls, huh?" Kumiko nodded, wiping the last of her tears away. "Well… I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You never did seem that interested in boys." Kumiko shook her head no. Mamiko chuckled at that, before getting serious again, "I take it that you haven't told Mom and Dad."

"No. I don't know how they'd react…"

"Me neither, actually. But don't worry about them right now—let's worry about _that_ ," she said, refocusing on the matter at hand. "You were looking for some powder, right? I'll show you how to cover that up and help with the swelling."

"Has this happened to you too?" Kumiko asked her, again unconsciously covering the bruise with her hand.

"Maybe," Mamiko said with a smirk and a wink. "That's our little secret, okay?" She opened one of the drawers and quickly located some foundation. "I really want to meet this girlfriend of yours. I've never seen you look so happy before. She must really be something special."

Kumiko softly smiled as she thought about Reina—who was needy, clingy, a crybaby, a bit high-maintenance, _and_ the one responsible for putting her into this extremely embarrassing situation.

"Yeah, she really is," Kumiko said with a laugh, knowing that she wouldn't have her any other way.

Next time it would be Reina's turn to deal with having a hickey.

...

a/n: Let me preemptively state that this story's rating will not change... but perhaps the boundaries of a T-rating might end up being pushed a bit in the future? Hehe. I hope you enjoyed this dose of pure concentrated fluff. I certainly did. See you next time!


	13. Brand New Days

_"Happy new year!"_ Kumiko texted to Reina at 12:02am, complete with party popper and heart emojis.

 _"Happy new year!_ " was the quick reply, the heart at the end also making Kumiko smile. She giggled at the next message: _"I wish we could have had a new year's kiss together."_

 _"Me too,"_ she typed back, _"but there's always next year, right?"_ Against her better judgment, she typed, _"If we're still together by then."_ Panicked, she quickly added, _"Not that we won't be!"_ Her lack of filter not only affected her mouth, but apparently also her fingertips. _"I'd still like to be!"_

The wait for the next message felt agonizingly long, but she sighed in relief when she saw, _"You're such a dork."_ Reina did say that she was fond of this side of her, after all.

Kumiko decided to change the subject anyway, _"I haven't heard anything from Natsuki since the party. Have you talked to Yuuko lately about what their deal is? Are they a couple now?"_

 _"I don't know. I've tried asking her, but she won't answer my questions."_

 _"I'm really curious!"_

 _"Me too. We're seeing them on Wednesday morning, so let's try and find out."_

 _"Yeah!"_

...

And so, Wednesday arrived. Most of the snow from New Year's Eve had melted by this point, the only signs remaining being some patches and piles in shady spots untouched by the sun's rays.

Kumiko, dutiful as ever, was waiting outside of Natsuki's house on this bone-chilling morning. She was still her ride to school in the mornings, like how Yuuko was for Reina, since that was the most convenient set-up for everyone.

Upon exiting her house, it seemed that Natsuki had brought back an old move that Kumiko hadn't seen since September that had been dubbed the 'sleepy shuffle.'

"Urrraugh," Natsuki groaned in a way that would rival Kumiko's odd noises upon opening the car door. She flung her bag into the backseat as accurately as one could with one eye still sealed shut from sleep. The schedule that she had adapted to over the break was clearly doing a number on her.

"Good morning," Kumiko greeted with uncharacteristic cheeriness considering the time of day, adding an extra contrast to her friend's misery. "I'd say you've got a case of the Mondays, but it's Wednesday."

"At least it's a short week," Natsuki muttered. "But I still ain't happy."

"Yep, I can tell. Seatbelt," she ordered so they could get moving, not wanting to be late on their first day back to school.

The sweet elixir of coffee soon began to work its magic on Natsuki, warming her and waking her up. It gave her the wherewithal to become aware of the silly sideways glances that Kumiko kept directing her way. "What's got you grinning like an idiot?" she asked. "Did you get laid over the break?"

"No!" Kumiko answered. Well, almost. It could have happened. If she wanted it to. Which she did. Maybe. But it didn't. "What about you?"

"Ha!" Natsuki slapped her knee with sarcastic mirth. "That's a good one."

"I mean, I haven't heard from you at all lately, so I was just wondering… what's going on with you and your new _girlfriend_."

"My girlfriend?"

"Uh… yeah?" Kumiko blinked, taken aback by the matter-of-fact question. "Yuuko," she stated, as if it wasn't obvious.

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Huh? But you guys—"

"Listen," Natsuki quickly interrupted, raising a hand up. "I think that it'd be for the best if you forget what you saw." Her usual sarcastic tone could have made that sound more amusing, but there was an almost dire seriousness to the request.

"I can't," Kumiko laughed. "It's been seared into my brain."

"Hey, don't act like it was such a horrible sight."

Kumiko continued trying to tease the redhead, "You two seemed to be having a lot of _fun_."

"Yeah, well," she sighed, looking out the frosted glass of the car window. One of her fingers fidgeted with the rim of her thermos. "That's all it was. Fun."

Natsuki left it at that, and Kumiko knew that it was probably best to keep quiet for the rest of the drive.

...

Meanwhile, Reina was also quiet, but only because Yuuko's ranting didn't let her get a word in edgewise.

"Seriously, I must have been out of my mind to kiss someone like that. She's so infuriating! It's like she exists only to torture me!"

"Um—"

"Even when she's not around, she's pissing me off. I can't stop thinking about her. It's driving me crazy. And it's not because I _liked_ kissing her or anything—"

"Uh—"

"I mean, it's not like I'd be opposed to the idea if she wanted to do it again, but I haven't seen her since the party, and why should it be up to _me_ to make the first move, it was _her_ idea to kiss to begin with—"

"Yuuko—"

"What was I supposed to do, say _no?_ Sure, I could have, but she looked really cute when she asked if she could kiss me… Not that I think she's cute or anything! She's definitely not attractive at all! I don't think about her and her pretty eyes and her nice voice and her cute smile all the time!"

"Uh—"

"You get what I'm saying, right?"

Reina blinked, unsure of what to say now that she was actually given the opportunity to speak, but managed to ask, "So… she's _not_ your girlfriend?"

"…No," Yuuko said, appearing defeated, and left it at that.

Reina sighed, and went back to being quiet.

...

During 2nd period, Reina and Kumiko updated each other on what they knew about the Natsuki & Yuuko Situation™ (as they now started to call it). After a brief discussion, they both concluded that their friends were probably hopeless.

By the time lunch rolled around, they still had no ideas as to how to help, but decided to put the issue on the back burner for now. Maybe things would work themselves out.

Midori was the last to arrive at their usual table that day, but she soon appeared with a cheery, "Happy new year!" for her lunchtime companions, bouncing the last few steps and into her seat.

The other three greeted her back, but Kumiko's was muffled by the bite of pizza in her mouth.

"Please don't talk with your mouth full," Reina lightly scolded her.

"Sorry," she said after swallowing.

"You're in a good mood today, Midori," Hazuki noted. "Even more than usual."

"I am! Don't you feel the energy in the air?" Midori chirped and gestured around them, but there was nothing different about the cafeteria than usual. It was as noisy and congested as ever. A fight could possibly break out at any moment. "It's the energy of the new year! New beginnings! Fresh starts!"

"Wow, you're really fired up!" Hazuki found herself being swept up in the wave of her fluffy friend's feel-good vibes. "You must have a really epic resolution or something, right?"

"You could say that. My resolution this year…"

Everyone leaned in, eager to hear her plans.

"…is to eat more cheesecake!"

Hazuki instantly deflated, but Kumiko firmly nodded. "That's a good one," she commented to Reina. "I'm gonna do that too."

"Nothing's stopping you."

"Come on!" Hazuki wailed. "Am I the only one with some actual goals around here?"

"Isn't your goal still to get a boyfriend?" Midori innocently asked her. "It may be the new year, but you've got the same old problems."

"Y'know, Midori… For someone so small, you sure do have a lot of sass." Hazuki defiantly crossed her arms and began her tirade, "Compared to the rest of you, my goal is pretty unique. I've been surrounded by couples and lesbians and lesbian couples," she gestured towards the pair sitting across from her, "on all sides! Ever since that Christmas party, I've felt outnumbered!" Her eyes widened in panic. "Uh… not that I'm complaining! It's just weird! It's like I'm the only normal one around here! Uh… not that being gay isn't normal! It's just—"

"Relax, Hazuki," Kumiko laughed, glad that she wasn't the only one capable of running her mouth. "No one's offended."

"Besides," Midori started to clarify for her friend, "I don't believe I'm a lesbian. If anything, I might be pansexual."

"Pansexual?" Hazuki asked, more confused than she had ever been before. "You're attracted to kitchenware?"

Kumiko snorted at that. "It means not being limited by what gender people are," she explained.

"Isn't that the same as bisexual?"

"It's a bit different." Curious, she playfully nudged Reina and asked, "What about you, Reina? Have you figured yourself out?"

"No, I haven't given it any thought," she nudged back. "I'm with you, so I'm not concerned with putting a label on myself. Does it even matter?"

"Hm, well, the label matters to some people. I like calling myself gay. Sometimes I look in the mirror and go 'hey, you. Yep, you're gay,'" she mimed herself doing so.

"You're also a dork."

"I feel like I'm learning so much," Hazuki said in awe. "Hey, Kumiko… is 'gaydar' actually a thing?"

Her gaydar wasn't as nearly as on-point as Natsuki's or as eerily accurate as Asuka's, but Kumiko liked to think that it was pretty good regardless. Not that her obliviously straight friend in front of her could appreciate those skills. Still, she decided to play along, "Yep."

Hazuki, on the other hand, decided to take things quite seriously. "What about that girl over there?" she loudly whispered and pointed to a blonde with a ponytail sitting at a table nearby. "Gay or straight?"

Kumiko subtly looked over her shoulder at the girl Hazuki was pointing to. "She's gay."

"Wow!" the brunette was impressed with the quick response. "How do you know?"

"I saw her kissing her girlfriend in the stairwell." Multiple times. They were quite an infamous pair, much to the chagrin of the faculty trying to keep a lid on PDA between all student couples.

"Aw, c'mon! Okay…" Hazuki looked around and picked out someone else. "How about that one?"

The target was a girl with red glasses and black pigtails bouncing behind her as she quickly walked by. "Probably gay," Kumiko concluded, watching the girl's cutely shy demeanor around a pink-haired friend that she had skittered up to, and also noticed, "She's got a rainbow pin on her backpack."

"Oh, duh! Alright… How about that girl, down there, at the end of the table?"

This one was easy. "Straight. She's, uh… got very long fingernails."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Kumiko snorted again, wondering if she should tell her.

"What was your read on me?" Reina asked curiously, saving her from having to explain.

"You're an enigma."

"So is it super obvious that I'm straight?" Hazuki wondered.

"Yes. It is," Kumiko deadpanned.

"I am curious what it's like to kiss a girl, though… Have you ever kissed a guy before, Kumiko?"

"No way," she quickly answered, cringing with disgust. The pizza she just consumed was threatening to come up again at the mere thought. "I'd probably barf."

Reina seemed quite satisfied with that answer, her tiny smug smile making a reappearance.

"But how do you know you won't like it if you've never done it?" Hazuki genuinely asked, not meaning to offend.

"How do _you_ know you wouldn't like kissing girls if you've never done it?" was the quip back.

"Oh, that's a good point," Hazuki nodded, unable to argue with that logic. "But… hypothetically, if a girl started kissing me, I might resist at first, but if it felt nice, then I guess I'd let it happen. Like, if she was soft or smelled good or something… Uh, that's normal, right? I mean, a lot of girls are just so darn pretty and—"

"The more you talk, the gayer you sound."

"No! I'm not gay! Wait, it's not contagious, is it?"

"I wish."

...

After school, Kumiko found herself at Reina's house again, as she often was. It may have been a new year, but some things were bound to stay the same, and this was a thing neither of them wanted to change.

While Reina was in the bathroom, Kumiko was lying on the girl's bed and gazing up at the plastic glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. Reina had told her that they had been up there since she was a child and never wanted to take them down. She had become a fan of astronomy—' _not_ astrology,' she was quick to note—over the years. Kumiko had said, 'That's so you,' after learning that, to which Reina replied that she was never sure if that statement was a compliment or not, but it always was.

Regardless, Kumiko agreed with the sentiment of leaving the stars up there. It was most often at night when her anxiety would get the better of her, creeping in from the dark and suffocating her. But when she was here, with Reina's warm presence beside her and the comforting glow of the stars above them, that chilling panic always subsided and stayed in the shadows where it belonged.

As she held a steady hand up, pretending to pluck one of the stars off the ceiling, Reina asked upon her return, "What are you doing?"

"Reaching for the stars."

"You're silly," she said, hovering over Kumiko instead of moving to lie down beside her.

Understanding the unspoken question, Kumiko opened her arms and let Reina unceremoniously flop onto her. "Oof," she breathed out, adjusting to the pleasant weight now on top of her.

Reina nuzzled against her neck before remembering the state she had left it in the other day. "Wow," she said, searching for that bruise and finding none. "Has it completely gone away?"

"Ow," Kumiko said after Reina gave the spot a poke with her index finger. "No, it's there, trust me. I still have to cover it with makeup. And stop looking so smug."

"Sorry," she giggled, clearly not sorry. "I kind of wish it was visible. Then everyone would _really_ know that you're all mine."

"Is that really a good idea?" Kumiko chuckled.

"I think it is."

"Actually, I have a better idea. It's time for _payback_."

Reina let out a very girlish-sounding combination of a squeal and laugh when Kumiko caught her off-guard by flipping her over on the mattress. She squirmed underneath the weight of the taller girl pinning her down by the wrists. Unable to get away, she dramatically asked, "Oh no, are you going to have your way with me?"

"Maybe," Kumiko whispered in her ear.

Reina turned her head away, preparing herself for what she assumed to be an inevitable onslaught of affection. When Kumiko didn't move after a long moment, she opened one eye to take a peek and huffed, "What are you doing?"

Kumiko snickered at her indignant and impatient expression. "Thinking about how adorable you are." Reina pouted and started blushing. "It's almost like you _want_ me to give you a hickey," she kept teasing, lips moving against Reina's neck as she spoke, causing the smaller girl to shudder.

"N-no, I don't…" Reina lied as Kumiko started peppering kisses on her neck. "Don't leave a mark…"

"I won't." Reina could also feel her smirk. "Nowhere obvious, anyway." Reina started squirming and squeaking again when Kumiko moved her shirt collar to the side to bite down and suck on two spots on her shoulder and collarbone. "There we go," Kumiko smugly stated, quite satisfied, having effectively turned the tables on the trumpeter.

"No fair," Reina whined. "That was _two_."

"Well, you seemed to enjoy it, so…"

"You jerk. You pervert. You horrible person."

"Love you too."

Kumiko gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, begging for forgiveness, before moving off of the girl to lie on her right side. Reina's feigned anger was short-lived, anyway, as she tightly wrapped her arms around Kumiko's shoulders, squeezing her close to herself.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're very clingy?" Kumiko teased at the action, hugging her back around the waist.

"You'd be the first." Saying the word 'first' reminded Reina of another thing that had been on her mind recently. "…Can I confess something?"

"Of course. You can tell me anything, remember?"

Reina started nervously playing with the curls of Kumiko's hair. "Sometimes I've felt jealous that Azusa got to be your first kiss," she quietly admitted. "I know it's silly, and you can't do anything about that, but… it's just a thought I've had."

"Aw, it's okay," Kumiko reassuringly smiled. She hesitated, but decided to say anyway, "If it makes you feel any better, you'll be my first when we… um… y'know…"

Reina looked confused for a moment before the obvious blush on Kumiko's face made it click. "Oh," she breathed out, blushing again and averting her eyes. "…You've been thinking about that too, huh?"

"Yeah…"

"…Me too." There was a moment of quiet between them before Reina continued, "I don't know if I'm ready for… that… yet."

"Well, let me know when you are."

Her eyes widened. "Are _you?_ "

"Um…" Kumiko awkwardly chuckled, nervously rubbing circles on the other girl's hip with her thumb. "Let's just say that if you wanted to, I wouldn't say no…"

"You really _are_ a pervert," Reina smirked.

"Yep," Kumiko smirked back, then suddenly recalled, "Oh. I've been thinking about something else lately."

"More impure thoughts, I assume."

"No, not this time," she laughed. "I've been thinking about new year's resolutions and stuff. The conversation at lunch reminded me about it. I've said before that I don't like making resolutions 'cause I don't want to feel bad when I don't meet them, but… I want to make one this year. I want to improve."

"How so?"

"In music, and in school. Asuka's been helping me with the euphonium, but I want to get even better, and work on my grades too. I want to try and be as amazing as you."

Reina kindly chuckled. "I'm flattered, but you really need to give yourself more credit." Tenderly caressing the other girl's cheek, she told her yet again, "You're already amazing."

"No way…" Kumiko denied, reaching up to squeeze that hand. "I have to get better, or else you're going to leave me behind."

"I wouldn't do that."

"You will, if I'm not careful."

"I won't," Reina said more firmly, but the kiss she gave her was gentle. "I love you too much."

"I love you too," her voice cracked a bit. "It's why I want to improve."

"Well, okay," Reina relented with a smile. "Then I'll help you however I can."

"Thanks," Kumiko smiled back, eyes shining with emotion and adoration.

They continued kissing until Kumiko had to go home.

...

Kumiko couldn't stay at the Kousakas for dinner that night, despite their invitation to. She had to return home after receiving a call from her mother, reminding her that she had to help with some 'new years cleaning.' It was a yearly tradition that no one looked forward to.

"Hey, Mom," she greeted after entering the kitchen.

"Hello, honey," Akiko replied from her spot on the floor where she was currently scrubbing out some gunk from the bottom of the refrigerator.

"So what can I help with?"

"You can start working on those shelves," her mother told her, motioning to the shelves from the fridge sitting the sink and on the counter.

Kumiko donned the appropriate attire of dish gloves and prepared herself for the battle against the sticky, nasty, and frankly gross enemy on the fiberglass in front of her. The fridge had apparently been _long_ overdue for a cleaning.

"Did you have a good day at school?" Akiko asked.

"It was fine."

"Are your classes going okay?"

"Yep."

"You're getting all your homework done?"

"I am."

"How are your friends doing?"

"They're good."

"I see." Akiko sighed, "I always miss your sister when she heads back to school. The house seems so much quieter."

"Yeah," Kumiko quietly agreed. "I miss her too."

"And before you know it, you'll be heading off to college too… and I'll be an empty-nester. What am I going to do?"

"I don't know, Mom," she chuckled.

"You and Mamiko will be gone… But one day you'll have your own families when you meet your future husbands and settle down…"

Kumiko cringed at the word 'husband.' Thankfully she was currently facing away from her mother so she wouldn't see the disgust on her face. "Yep. That is stuff that could—" _Not._ "—happen." Not speaking for her sister, just for herself.

The idea of having a husband never appealed to Kumiko, but a wife on the other hand… For fun, she briefly entertained the idea of Reina in a wedding dress, and promptly started grinning like an idiot.

"Unless there's someone you like at school, but high school relationships usually don't last," Akiko stated.

Kumiko frowned.

Her mother asked out of genuine curiosity, "So are there any cute boys in your band?"

"Ehh… Not really. There's not a lot of guys to pick from anyway 'cause the band is mostly girls."

"Hmm. I heard from one of the other mothers in a PTA meeting that there's a few _lesbians_ in your band." Akiko said the word 'lesbians' in a hushed tone, as if it were a dirty secret. "Is that true?"

Kumiko nearly dropped the shelf she was holding, breaking out into a cold sweat. "Uhh—I don't know—I, um, I'm too focused on my music!"

"That's good. So are there any cute boys in your classes, then?"

"I'm too focused on, uh… learning!"

"Well, that's good too. I certainly can't complain about that! I want you to focus on your studies, and get into a good college…"

The well-meaning lecture continued, but was hard for Kumiko to hear what her mother was saying over the panicked pounding of her heart.

...

Many hours of cleaning later, Kumiko crawled up the stairs and collapsed on her bed with a tired sigh. She still had homework to do, too. Before that, though, she grabbed her phone and decided to send a random text to her beloved girlfriend.

 _"Hey, baby,"_ she typed. _"Guess what?"_

 _"What?"_ was the quick response.

 _"You're cute,"_ she wrote, adding a kissing-face emoji and hearts.

 _"Dork. You're the cute one._ " A couple minutes later, another message came through: _"I forgot to ask this earlier. Could you possibly bring your lunch to school tomorrow?"_

 _"Sure. Why?"_

 _"I want us to eat together, just the two of us. There's a spot at the bottom of the west stairwell that's usually pretty empty."_

 _"Ooh, a secret lunch date?"_ she teased even through texts. _"Okay, I can throw something together."_

 _"Good. I've got some homework to finish, so I'll let you go. I'll see you tomorrow."_

 _"K. See you tomorrow!"_

 _"I love you,"_ Reina wrote.

Seeing those three little words on a screen was enough to make Kumiko giddy.

 _"Love you too,"_ Kumiko replied back.

Now lying on her back and staring at the ceiling, Kumiko wished that she was looking up at the stars in Reina's bedroom instead of the current blankness above her. When she reached her hand upwards here, there was nothing to grab for. The phone that was her current lifeline to the happiness in those heavens was held tightly in her other hand.

Being with Reina was good. It was pure. It made sense.

If having feelings like this for another girl was wrong, she didn't want to be right.


	14. Shadow World

"Reina? Where are you?"

Kumiko's voice and the squeaking of her sneakers echoed against the walls of the currently deserted downstairs off the west stairwell. The paper bag holding her lunch also crinkled loudly in her hand. "Hrm," she said to herself. "This _is_ where she told me to meet her, right…?"

She was about to double-check her phone for any new texts when a pair of arms wrapped around her midsection from behind.

"Bweh!" Kumiko strangely blurt out, quickly turning around in the hold. Her captor was of course Reina, giving her a very cheeky smile.

"Did I scare you?" Reina asked her, also cheekily.

"I'm terrified," Kumiko retorted. "You sure are sneaky."

Reina hummed, looking pleased with herself. "Come on," she said, tugging Kumiko by her sleeve to lead her around a corner where her lunchbox was sitting on the floor. "Let's sit down."

Kumiko sat down and confirmed that they were indeed alone. "You don't think we'll get in trouble for eating down here, do you?"

"I don't see why we would."

"How'd you know that this spot would be empty anyway?"

"I have my sources," she answered mysteriously.

"Did you scope the place out?" Reina didn't answer that question. "You're so cute."

"I am not."

"You _are_ ," Kumiko grinned. "You're the cutest girl on the planet."

"Quit it," Reina lightly whined. "It hasn't even been five minutes and you're already teasing me."

"I can't help it," she replied, squeezing Reina like a stuffed animal. "You're so adorable. And your reactions are so cute, especially when you get all pouty and mad."

"You wouldn't like me when I'm angry," Reina playfully warned. "I could beat you up, you know."

"Would you?"

"I could."

"What if I was into that sort of thing?"

"I wouldn't be surprised, you perv."

True to her apparently perverted nature, Kumiko moved Reina's shirt collar to the side and down to check something. "Oh, hey! Looks like I did leave some marks," she proudly stated upon discovering the two hickeys in their intended spots.

Reina swatted her hand away. "Stop bugging me and eat your lunch. Unless you planned to eat _me_." Kumiko's eyes widened, and Reina instantly got embarrassed. "Er, I—I didn't mean it like _that."_

"Perv," she smirked.

"I am not," Reina pouted, now blushing. "You're the pervert for taking it that way."

"Maybe I am, then," Kumiko relented, opening her lunch bag.

As they ate, they also lapsed into a comfortable silence, as was a common occurrence. Somehow they both sensed when words weren't necessary, that their conversation didn't need to be sustained with mindless chatter. The quiet was never awkward between them, and much appreciated, as well.

Having finished half her sandwich, Kumiko was the first to speak again, "Hey, it's January 5th. We've been dating for two months now."

"Oh, you remembered?" Reina teased.

"Of course I did. How could I forget?"

"I don't know, you seem the type to."

"Hey, give me more credit than that," Kumiko quipped, then thoughtfully crunched on a couple of pretzels. "For some reason, it feels like we've been together longer. Is that weird?"

"Hm, I don't think so. Apparently we were acting like we were dating before actually dating, right?"

"Well, even before that. We just seemed to… click, y'know?"

"Mm-hmm," Reina confidently smiled. "I guess we're just made for each other."

"Guess so."

Many comfortable minutes later, Kumiko finished her lunch first and leaned against Reina's shoulder with a yawn.

"Did you stay up too late again?" Reina asked, reaching up to move some hair out of the other girl's tired face.

"Nah, I went to bed at a normal time, but I had trouble sleeping."

"Is _that_ normal?"

"Hm, it's normal for me."

"Well, that's not good," Reina noted and 'booped' her on the nose with her finger. "You need to be in top form if you're doing to do your best, right?"

"Right." Tell that to her anxiety.

Kumiko rested her cheek fully on the other girl's shoulder, finding the scent of the shampoo she used to be quite soothing. She closed her eyes and took in some deep, calming breaths. Reina's presence also helped smooth out any frayed nerves.

"Today's Thursday, right?" Reina asked, unbothered by the affection while she was still eating.

"Yep."

"Let's make Tuesdays and Thursdays our 'secret lunch' days."

"Not everyday?"

"I don't want to _completely_ steal you away from your friends," she said, referring to Hazuki and Midori.

"They're _your_ friends too, y'know."

"Oh. Right," Reina realized. "I'm not used to that."

Kumiko chuckled. "Having friends is nice, isn't it?"

Friends could indeed be nice, but they could also be quite difficult. Natsuki and Yuuko were avoiding and refusing to speak to each other, and did so all the way until that next Friday.

...

"Stop, stop, stop!"

If Asuka's words were't enough to stop the bass section in its tracks, then her wild gestures would be.

"What's the problem, chief?" Natsuki asked, not as out of breath as she should have been.

"The flow is all off," Asuka explained, standing up in front of everyone with the presence of a conductor. "There is an issue in the delicate balance of this ecosystem. Or as they say in pop culture, there's a disturbance in the force."

"What?"

"You all sound weird," Asuka plainly stated, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, not all of you," she nodded towards Riko and Takuya. "The tuba couple is fine. No problems in your relationship, I take it?"

"We're great!" Riko chirped, unbothered by the seemingly random inquiry into their love life.

"But the. Rest. Of. You!" Asuka pointed to Midori, Hazuki, Natsuki, and Kumiko in time to those last four words. "You all sound off!"

"I thought we sounded fine," Natsuki tried to argue, trying to stop whatever Asuka wanted to do.

However, she could not stop the force that was Asuka Tanaka. "You did not." She grabbed a chair from a desk behind her and took a seat, crossing her legs gracefully and pushing her glasses up for show. "Let's get to the bottom of this." If she had a pen and writing pad in hand, it would have completed the 'therapist' look. "We shall start with dear Sapphire…"

"It's Midori," the girl squeaked out. One would think that after over a year of misnaming and corrections that one of them would give in, but the battle continued to rage on. "What are we getting to the bottom to?"

"We are all well-aware of the effects one's mental state has on their music. One cannot play clearly without a clear mind." She placed her hands together in a meditative pose. "Surely your minds must be clouded. What's on your mind, tiny contrabass?"

Midori fiddled with the strings of her instrument. "To be honest… You're on my mind, Asuka!" she confessed, clenching her bow as tightly as she could in her bandaged grip.

The surprise from that declaration was quite evident on Asuka's face. "How so?" she asked, adjusting her glasses again.

"I didn't get my kiss," Midori pouted.

Riko raised a hand to her mouth in shock, wrongly assuming of an elicit affair between them, but the other three girls in the room knew that she was referring to the 'mistletoe incident' from the Christmas party. Takuya remained blank-faced.

"Oh," Asuka chuckled. "Is that all?" Midori nodded. "So if I give you a kiss, you'll be back to normal?" Midori nodded more fervently.

"Usually kisses do the opposite," Natsuki muttered under her breath, but Kumiko heard her.

"Then come over here!"

Midori leaned her instrument against the wall so she could trot over to the awaiting senior. The height difference between them was quite comedic. "This would be easier if you had a step stool," Asuka commented.

Midori pouted again. "Stop teasing me."

"Forgive me, contrabass-baby," Asuka adopted her smooth-talking voice, playing the part of seductress quite well. She gently held the small girl's chin between her thumb and finger and began to lean down. Midori closed her eyes before a "wait" prompted her to open them again. "Will this be your first kiss?"

"Yes!" Midori chirped, not ashamed to admit it, but excited. "I would like you to be my first kiss, Asuka!"

"I'm honored! Then…"

If you asked the rest of the bass section what might happen during today's practice, 'witnessing Midori's first kiss' would not have been the answer, but that was what was now happening.

Kumiko watched with an awkward smile, but found this to be cute, as did Riko. Natsuki and Takuya seemed unaffected.

Hazuki, on the other hand, had no idea what to do with herself besides stare open-mouthed at the scene. Seeing two girls kissing in front of her—in real life!—was apparently almost too much for her to handle.

The kiss was tender, sweet, and the perfect length. "Thank you," Midori giggled after they separated, bringing her hands up to her blushing cheeks. "That was lovely."

"You're welcome," Asuka warmly smiled. "Are things good now?"

"Yes! I'm good!" Midori skipped back to her spot, quite satisfied.

Asuka then cleared her throat with purpose, getting back to business. "Moving on," she said, "…to Ms. Katou. What troubles you, young tuba? Your playing is lacking its usual energy today." The business persona began to slip, a silly smile creeping up to replace it. "Will a kiss from me solve your problem as well?" It wouldn't be the first time she kissed two girls in one day.

"That might just make it worse!" Hazuki wailed. "I'm so confused!"

"About what?"

Hazuki took a deep breath. "Last night I took a bunch of online quizzes that are supposed to tell you your sexuality, but every result was different! Being around so many lesbians lately has got me thinking, y'know…"

"Oh, for cryin' out loud," Natsuki spoke up. "It's not contagious. You're not gay. You're into that Tsukamoto guy, right?"

"What?! How do you know that?" Hazuki yelped, looking at Kumiko with a scandalized expression. "Kumiko!"

"She didn't say anything," Natsuki answered for her. "It's obvious."

"I think everyone knows but him, actually," Kumiko added, unable to resist throwing a jab at her childhood friend.

"Tell me," Natsuki continued, "does the idea of kissing Tsukamoto get you all excited?"

Hazuki started blushing and squirming in her seat from embarrassment. "Well…"

"There ya go. Not gay. Okay, let's move on." Natsuki turned towards Kumiko, still hoping to be skipped. "What's the deal with you, kid?"

Asuka allowed it since she planned to save the worst for last. "Yes, do tell! Your playing recently has been quite _juicy_ , for obvious reasons, but today it feels like you're hesitating or anxious. It's as if there's a beast dwelling inside you, wanting to escape! You need to unleash your desires!"

Kumiko made an 'erk' noise. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Is there trouble in paradise between you and your beloved?"

"There's not. Things are going great." Kumiko couldn't fight her own silly smile, "We've been together for two months now."

"It's felt like forever," Natsuki dryly commented.

Asuka thoughtfully hummed. "I see. Well, please focus, then," she ordered before advising, "You are at a critical point in the early stages of your relationship. Tread wisely!"

"Alright then, now that we've got all that nonsense taken care of, let's get back to practice—" Natsuki tried another attempt at being skipped, but she was now trapped with Asuka now looming over her.

" _You_ are the worst offender!" Natsuki shrunk back in the shadow she was casting. "You're all over the place. I would ask what's on that rattled mind of yours, but I already know the answer."

"You don't—Look, it's been a long week. I'm just tired." Natsuki pointedly looked down at the floor, pretending to find a smudge on the linoleum to be fascinating. It had been a long week, indeed—a long week of avoiding Yuuko.

"What's going on?" Hazuki asked.

"You can tell us if anything's bothering you, Natsuki!" Midori added in support, also oblivious to the situation.

" _Nothing,"_ Natsuki practically hissed to the two concerned sophomores. "There's nothing to tell." The legs of her chair scrapped against the floor as she quickly stood up and placed her euphonium down. "I've gotta use the bathroom. This is dumb, anyway."

"You can't run forever!" Asuka called after her retreating figure. With a sigh, she asked Kumiko, "Have you tried talking to her?"

"Yeah, I've tried, but you know how stubborn she can be…"

"So is the object of her affections." She ordered with a point, "I'm counting on you!"

"What? Me?"

"You need to repay the favor, don't you?" Asuka left it at that, and addressed the rest of the section with a clap of her hands. "Okay, let's get back on track…"

Kumiko looked towards the door that Natsuki had stormed out of. How was she supposed to help?

...

Natsuki slid her euphonium case into its usual resting spot in the instrument storage room. "Are you doing anything tomorrow?" she casually asked Kumiko.

"Oh, uh," Kumiko faltered, also putting her instrument away. "I have plans with Reina."

Natsuki looked mildly annoyed. "Figures," she tried to play it off. "You nerds have been inseparable lately. Be careful, though—if you spend too much time together, she might get sick of you."

The 'joke' didn't hit the mark. Kumiko furrowed her brows and quietly said, "Oh no… I hope not…"

Sensing her friend's worries, Natsuki added, "Hey, don't worry. Everyone can tell how much you and Reina are made for each other."

"Everyone?"

"Yeah. The whole band probably knows about your passionate love," she laughed.

That only made Kumiko worry more, but for a different reason.

"Anyway," Natsuki broke that train of thought, "let's get out of here. Do you think your girl would mind if we stopped by QT? I've been addicted to their green tea lately."

"Me too," Kumiko chuckled. Despite being a fan of green tea and drinking it all the time, she couldn't stand green tea flavored things, like ice cream or pudding. Reina found this to be extremely weird. "She probably wouldn't mind."

Kumiko and Natsuki exited the storage room and saw not one, but _two_ familiar trumpeters waiting for them in the hallway.

"Uh, er," Natsuki fumbled with her words and her steps. Only one coherent thing fell from her mouth, "Yuuko."

"Natsuki," Yuuko replied. "How are you?"

Natsuki blinked at her in disbelief, not expecting a simple pleasantry. Then again, it's not like they had even exchanged a passing glance since school started back, much less a greeting. "Fine. How's it going?"

"Fine." Yuuko swayed forwards and backwards with nervous energy. "I, um," she tried to continue, "I wanted to…" Suddenly, she changed her mind and moved back a step, holding her trumpet case in front of her like a shield, wanting to put something physical in the space between them. "…say hello."

Ultimately, she decided to take the easy way out. Natsuki watched her run off, and made no effort to stop her.

"That was weird," Reina commented.

"They're both weird," Kumiko added.

"C'mon, let's go," Natsuki said, starting her stride down the hallway in the opposite direction, towards the school parking lot.

Kumiko and Reina let Natsuki have a head start, lagging behind the junior's quick pace in step with each other.

"Is it okay if we stop by QT?" Kumiko asked.

"That's fine with me," Reina replied, reaching over for Kumiko's hand as she often did, and entwined their fingers.

Kumiko unconsciously glanced over her shoulder to check the hallway before giving Reina's hand a gentle squeeze in response. "Man, those two are such a pain. If they like each other, they should just say so."

Reina shot her a smirk and sideways glance. Nudging the other girl with her shoulder, she said, "Maybe one of them is trying to, but the other is too dense to get it."

"Hey…" Kumiko replied to the teasing and returned it in kind, "Maybe one of them is trying to figure out if they like girls or not. But that wouldn't be Natsuki. She's pretty sure about that."

"Maybe they need a little help from their friends."

"That's what Asuka told me, but I don't like getting involved in other people's problems."

"Yet you seem to anyway. Probably because you're very trustworthy and a good listener."

"Thanks," Kumiko appreciated the sincere compliments. "Hey, Reina?"

"Hm?"

"Was your first kiss—I mean, our—was it—did I… Did you enjoy your first kiss?"

"Of course. It was wonderful," Reina answered almost dreamily. "I couldn't have asked for a better one."

Kumiko smiled her usual dorky smile. "I'm glad."

Reina leaned upwards to the other girl's ear to not whisper sweet nothings, but to quietly threaten, "You better not kiss any other girl but me."

"I didn't plan on it," Kumiko laughed.

...

The next day, Kumiko and Reina were quite occupied with each other, and decided to go to the mall.

"Sheesh," Kumiko commented on the abundance of pink decorations as they walked by various stores. Streamers and signs hung from the ceiling advertising various sales and promotions, and store windows were plastered with red hearts. "It's January 14th, but you'd think that it was February 14th with all the Valentine's stuff up. Is it just me or are holiday decorations out sooner and sooner every year?"

"They certainly like to get started early," Reina noted. "I used to be one of those people who thought Valentine's Day was silly, that it was just a holiday concocted by the candy industry or to sell cards."

"Used to?"

"Yes, well… Now I understand," Reina sheepishly admitted, glancing at their linked pinky fingers. "When it comes down to it, I suppose I'm a hopeless romantic."

Kumiko chuckled. "You're cute."

"I am not." Reina blew some air upwards to try and get her hair out of her eyes. "My bangs are driving me crazy," she complained. "I need a haircut."

"Do you want to get one while we're here?" Their walk happened to pause at a nearby salon.

"You don't mind waiting?"

"Of course not," Kumiko smiled. "I can kill some time, and it won't take too long anyway, right? You're just getting a trim?"

Reina took the opportunity to mess with her girlfriend, "What would you think if I chopped it all off?" She giggled at Kumiko's obviously horrified expression. "Didn't you say that I'm lovely no matter how I wear my hair?"

"Um, well… That's true, but… Please don't do that!" Kumiko pleaded, clapping her hands together in prayer. "I like your long hair! It's very attractive!"

"Alright," Reina giggled again. "I'll just get a trim. Go kill some time."

"Maybe I should stick around and watch." Kumiko crossed her arms, regarding Reina skeptically. "I don't trust you now."

"You can trust me." Reina shooed her away. "You wanted to get some pretzel bites, right?"

"Yeah!" Kumiko excitedly remembered her mission of getting one of her favorite mall foods. "I'm gonna do that!"

And so she did.

After acquiring the goods, Kumiko returned to the salon. Not wanting to be rude by bringing in outside food or drink, she took a seat in a resting area nearby. She was about to dig in to her snack when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Hey! Kumiko!" It was Yuuko, approaching with a friendly wave. "How are you?"

"Oh, hey, Yuuko," Kumiko greeted with a smile. "I'm good. What's up?"

"Are you here by yourself?"

"Nah, I'm waiting on Reina while she's getting a haircut," she answered, gesturing to the salon right behind her.

"Of course," Yuuko replied with a knowing smirk and a light exasperated sigh. "You two are practically joined at the hip lately. If you're not careful, you'll get sick of each other."

"That's what Natsuki said." Kumiko slapped her hand over her mouth, not intending for her friend's name to slip out. Yuuko tried not to obviously flinch. "I'm sorry—"

"It's okay." Her wandering gaze landed on the chair beside Kumiko. "Do you mind if I sit with you for a bit?"

"Uh, sure. I mean, I don't mind. Go ahead."

For Kumiko, conversation and silence were comfortable between her and Reina, but extremely awkward with anyone else she didn't know well enough. The only times she had spent with Yuuko before this were as a group, never one-on-one. It was especially awkward after her foot went into her mouth instead of food.

"Want one?" Kumiko offered, for lack of anything better to do or say.

"No, thank you."

The silence got heavy again until the more-talkative Yuuko finally saved the situation. "Want to know something funny?"

"What?"

"I used to not be able to stand Reina," she chuckled. "During freshman year, she pissed off the upperclassmen in our section by not listening or following directions, and she wound up in a fight with Kaori. I used to think she was so full of herself, always acting like she was better than everyone else."

"That's not very funny," Kumiko frowned, not liking hearing negative things about her girlfriend.

"Either way, now I get it," Yuuko continued pensively. The seats they were in were quite large, and the petite girl looked like she was about to be swallowed up by the cushions. "She puts up a tough front and tries to distance herself from others because deep down, she's afraid… I can relate." Kumiko didn't comment on that. "She still doesn't give a damn what people think of her, but she's really opened up more thanks to you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You two are a good fit. You bring out the best in each other." Her fond smile turned a bit sad. "You're not constantly bickering." More quietly, she added, "I'm kinda jealous."

"You don't have to be jealous," Kumiko said. "If you talk to her."

Yuuko was well-aware of who the 'her' was in this case. "We'll probably just get into some stupid argument. Fights can be fun at first, but they get old after a while, y'know?" She did appear to be tired in more ways than one. "Oh, looks like Reina's finished up."

"Hi, Yuuko," Reina happily greeted her friend after exiting the salon and making her way over. "What are you doing here?"

"Just passing by!" Yuuko quickly stood up, already moving her feet. "I'll be heading out now. I don't want to be a third wheel on your date."

"Are you sure—"

"Yep! See you Monday!"

And just like that, she was gone.

"What did you talk about?" Reina curiously asked.

"Stuff."

Reina nodded, accepting that vague answer. With a cute tilt of her head, she then asked, "So what do you think of my hair?"

"Much better," Kumiko smiled, raising her hand up to brush some of the girl's bangs aside with no purpose other than physical contact. "Now it's not covering up as much of your pretty face." The paranoia of being affectionate in public suddenly hit her again, and she quickly moved her hand back down like she touched a hot stovetop.

If Reina noticed this reaction, she didn't react, still smiling at the sweet words. "Where to next then?" she asked.

"Hm. The book store? I want you to show me what you like to read."

"Sure," Reina replied, happy to share her interests with her girlfriend. Kumiko kept getting her into games, so it was time to repay the favor by showing her more of the things she enjoyed too.

As they walked, it was obvious that Reina wanted to hold hands. Kumiko allowed it, as she did the pinky hold earlier, not wanting to deny the affection. However, it was a bit nerve-wracking, just like the last time they had held hands in public.

Kumiko couldn't help but feel a couple of odd glances directed their way as they headed to the book store, but Reina didn't seem to notice. This girl really did not care what other people thought.

"So you really think my hair looks good?"

Except for the ones that mattered.


	15. Heartbeat, Heartbreak

a/n: Yo. You faithful readers following along might have noticed that, hey, it's been a while since the last chapter. Well, I started up a new full-time job, which proceeded to eat into the many hours and mental energy it takes me to plan out and write these chapters… and then Zelda came out… and Persona 5… and my mother had surgery… and I got sick… basically, life happened. I hope to get back to my general chapter-a-week-ish output, and more importantly, that you enjoy reading.

...

"Y'know what I'm sick of, Nozomi?"

"What?"

Natsuki gestured towards the plethora of pink in the food court. "Holidays showing up before they're welcome. It's only _January_ 14th, for cryin' out loud." She firmly placed her soda down on the table in defiance. "It doesn't help that I'm constantly surrounded by lovey-dovey couples all the damn time."

"I don't mind," Nozomi cheerily responded. "Oh! That reminds me…" A hand went to her chin as she went into deep thought. "I wonder what Mizore'd like for Valentines…"

"Case in point," Natsuki sighed. "Between you, Kumiko, and your beloveds, I've felt nauseous more often than not lately."

A sympathetic but amused smile crossed the flutist's face. "Sounds like you're jealous."

"I am _not._ I'm just—" Suddenly, she caught sight of a familiar person walking by. "Oh my god!"

"What?"

"It's Yuuko! Quick, don't look!" She pointedly looked the other direction, but couldn't resist taking a peek. "…Is she with anyone?"

"You said not to look."

"Shit!"

"She's alone," Nozomi noted. Natsuki loudly sighed in relief from that, and after Yuuko passed by without taking notice of them. "This is getting kinda ridiculous, Natsuki. Who kisses a girl at a Christmas party and then avoids her for a month? Wouldn't it be easier just to talk it out and clear up the misunderstandings?"

"Ha! That's ironic, coming from you."

"Very funny," she retorted, knowing that her friend was referring to the miscommunications between her and Mizore that kept them apart—until they made up (and made out). "But hey, I learned my lesson. Thanks to the girl that _you're_ now avoiding… hey, is that ironic too?"

"It sure is," Natsuki sardonically smiled. "Anyway, what's there to clear up? There's no 'misunderstanding.'"

"Mm-hmm."

"Don't give me that look. Listen, it's not even that big a deal."

"Mm- _hmm._ "

"Seriously, stop it." Natsuki leaned forward on her elbows, sighing. "It's not like I've been _trying_ to avoid her this whole time. After the party, I was waiting for her to call me, but… nothing. And then when I tried talking to her, she ran off. It's like we don't even know what to say to each other anymore."

"What do you want to say to her?"

"At this point, I'd like to punch her in the face."

"I bet you'd like to kiss her cute little face too," Nozomi smirked.

"Even if I did—" Her glare softened as she continued, "I don't think she feels the same… I thought we had something good going. When we weren't fighting over something dumb, we got along really well. I mean, I don't think we'd be all sweet like you and Mizore or Kumiko and—well, speak of the devils." Natsuki interrupted herself to call over to the couple walking by. "Hey, nerds!"

"Hey, guys," Kumiko greeted after they made their way over.

"Yo," Natsuki responded. "How are you sophomore sweethearts doing on this swell Saturday?"

"What's with the alliteration?" Kumiko asked.

"We're good," Reina responded, also acknowledging Nozomi with a nod. "What are you two doing?"

"Just hanging out," Nozomi answered, leisurely leaning back in her chair. She gestured for the pair to sit down with them, which they did. "Natsuki was updating me on the 'Yuuko situation.'"

"It's not a 'situation' either," Natsuki hissed in embarrassment. "I was venting, is all—"

Ignoring her, Nozomi continued, "I gotta say, you two always look so cute together. No wonder Natsuki's so jealous—"

"I'm not jealous!"

"Okay, then you're envious."

"That's the same thing, you dolt."

Nozomi then asked Kumiko and Reina, "We just saw Yuuko walk by a minute ago. Did you happen to run into her?"

Unsure whether to confirm or deny, Reina kept a blank face, but Kumiko's expression was as easy to read as the book she just purchased.

"Did she say anything about me?" Natsuki asked a little too quickly.

"Um… well…" Kumiko cringed. It was obvious that face was giving her away again.

"Nothing good then, I take it."

"Not necessarily…"

"It's fine," Natsuki dismissively waved a hand, and quietly added, "I'll find out for myself." Louder, she asked, "Ready to go, Nozomi?"

"Oh, yeah, sure."

Natsuki rose to her feet. "Don't want to take up too much time away from your date," she said with sarcastic fondness, patting Kumiko on the shoulder. "Oh," she realized in mid-stride, and grabbed that shoulder more firmly. "Do you have plans next Saturday?"

"Um," Kumiko hesitated for a moment. She normally didn't plan that far in advance. "I'm free."

"Good, 'cause you're coming over to my place," Natsuki decided. "You don't mind if I borrow Kumiko for the weekend, do you, Kousaka?"

"Go ahead."

"Alright, then," Natsuki nodded in satisfaction, glad to be met with no objections. "See you kids later."

The four of them bid their farewells, leaving behind an odd atmosphere and an almost impending sense of dread.

...

"You're sure you want to stay the night?"

"You're asking me this right after we arrive at your house?" Reina quipped, removing her bag from the trunk of Kumiko's car.

"Ah, well… You might be getting sick of me, is all…" Kumiko awkwardly chuckled. Ready to lend a helping hand, she reached for Reina's trumpet case, but paused before grabbing the handle. "Uh…"

"What's wrong?"

"It's, like, musician's code to not handle someone else's instrument, isn't it? I know how expensive that trumpet is…"

Reina looked at her quite incredulously. "It's fine. I trust you," she smiled. "It'd be silly if I didn't, right?"

"Right," Kumiko breathed out. "Just checking."

The girls made their way into the house and up to Kumiko's room. Reina was glad to see that the Christmas cactus she gifted her girlfriend was still alive and well, sitting on the small table next to Kumiko's (assumedly) other favorite cactus.

"Make yourself at home," Kumiko smiled, placing the instrument case down as if it were made of delicate glass. "I'll grab us something to drink."

"Wait," Reina stopped her. "Your parents are home, right?"

"Right."

"Then I should say hello to them, shouldn't I?"

"You should?" Kumiko asked, confused.

Reina huffed, then clarified, "I want them to like me."

Kumiko fondly smiled at her. "I thought you didn't care what other people think of you."

"This is different," Reina pouted, crossing her arms. "It's important that your parents like me."

"And who wouldn't like you?" Kumiko continued to tease, moving closer to squeeze her short girlfriend like a stuffed animal again. "You're so adorable, after all."

"Am not."

"You denying how cute you are just makes you even cuter, y'know."

"Does not." Reina continued to pout, even with Kumiko peppering light kisses on her cheek. "Quit it," she gently pushed the other girl away.

"Sorry," Kumiko grinned. "Let's go say hello, then."

Akiko was currently washing dishes and was the first to greet them when they entered from the front hallway. "Hello, girls. Oh, you've brought Reina with you."

"Hello, ma'am," Reina replied. "Thank you for having me."

"Oh, anytime!"

Kumiko could barely handle the cuteness from watching Reina continuing to politely chat with her mother. When that girl had a mission, it was best to step aside—even if it was a mission as simple as being as pleasant as possible. "Whatcha want to drink, bab—er, Reina?" she stumbled on her words, but managed to catch herself before her favorite pet name for Reina slipped out. For all her talks of being careful, she really needed to watch it.

"Water's fine, thank you."

"Did you already eat?" Akiko asked.

"Yep," Kumiko answered, shutting the fridge. "We grabbed something at the mall."

"Oh, good. Especially since your father's taken over the dinner table."

"This is a fine art here, honey," Mr. Oumae spoke up, delicately tending to one of his beloved plants.

"Of course, dear."

"Are these bonsai?" Reina asked, genuinely interested, stepping closer to the table. It was currently taken up by a collection of trees of various sizes.

"That's right," Mr. Oumae nodded approvingly, a soft smile lighting up his eyes. Compared to when Reina first met him, he was clearly more relaxed today. "Tending to bonsai is a favorite hobby of mine."

"I'm more of a fan of cacti, but bonsai are cool too, I guess," Kumiko poked fun at the comedically long-standing debate between them.

"Are you taking good care of the one I gave you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, you certainly do take good care of your plants," Mr. Oumae noted with a contented hum. He then went into a favorite and well-worn lecture, "Bonsai are not only pleasing to look at, but they have great health benefits too. Not only do they clean the air, but they're a great stress reliever and good for the nerves—oh, that reminds me." He pointed a gloved thumb towards the kitchen counter. "I picked up your prescription for you, Kumiko."

"Oh, thanks, Dad," Kumiko said, grabbing the bag.

"I really wish you didn't have to take those pills, honey," Akiko spoke up with well-meaning concern.

Before Kumiko could reply, her father came to her defense, "Hey, it's what works for her. I've got my bonsai, and she's got her medicine. When I was her age, I had to take up smoking to calm down."

Akiko sighed. "I suppose you're right, Tadao. It could be worse. Still," she addressed Kumiko again, wringing the dishcloth more than necessary, "maybe one day you won't need those, right?"

"Maybe," Kumiko softly responded. A sudden sense of shame washed over her when Reina gave her a curious look. Her parents had the tendency to overshare personal details about her in front of her friends.

"See you girls later," Tadao bid them farewell as they left the room. "I'll be right here if you need me."

"I think we're good," Kumiko chuckled at her dad's intense concentration over what branch to trim next. "Have fun."

Unable to contain her curiosity, Reina asked Kumiko as they ascended the stairs, "So what kind of medicine is that?" But not wanting to seem like she was snooping, she teased, "I hope you're not doing any hardcore drugs."

The question hung in the air until Kumiko returned from putting the pill bottle away in the bathroom. "It's for anxiety and panic attacks," she answered, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, I see." Reina sat down on the bed as well, but Kumiko refused to meet her gaze. "What's wrong?"

Kumiko rubbed the back of her neck, still looking away. "I'm really embarrassed."

"Why?"

"You finding out that I need to take that kind of stuff. Actually, I'm still kinda embarrassed about that time you found me in the bathroom freaking out."

"Hey," Reina gently held onto one of Kumiko's fidgeting hands. "There's no need to be embarrassed about that. And it doesn't matter to me that you need to take medicine for that."

"Tell that to my mom. She's always like, 'don't let anyone find out that you take those pills, they'll think you're craaazy.'" She rolled her eyes before quietly adding, "Sometimes I wish I was normal."

"Normal's pretty overrated," Reina smirked. Kumiko still didn't seem convinced, so she continued, "If anything's bothering you, you know you can talk to me about it, right?"

"Yeah… but I'm okay," Kumiko smiled appreciatively. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

That smile then turned nervous. "You're not getting sick of me… are you?"

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Reina questioned, moving some hair from the other girl's face.

"Well, it's just…" She closed her eyes at the contact. "Natsuki and Yuuko said that we spend too much time together, and that we'll probably get sick of each other."

"I don't think we should be taking relationship advice from those two."

Kumiko laughed. "That's a good point. Man, what are we gonna do about them?"

"I'm not sure," Reina shrugged. "They're pretty hopeless."

"I'm gonna talk to Natsuki about it next Saturday. Hopefully I can find out what's going on."

"Do you think things will be fine until then?"

"Yeah, I don't think anything too crazy will happen between now and then."

...

"I didn't think you'd show," Natsuki greeted, stepping out of the shadow cast on the brick wall she was leaning against. It was currently their lunch period, but no other students were out eating in the courtyard on this cold and overcast Friday—making it the perfect spot for a meet-up.

Apparently, enough was enough. After almost a month of silly miscommunications and unsure intents, it was time to get to the bottom of this.

"I'm not one to lie," Yuuko simply replied.

"Oh?" Natsuki quirked an eyebrow, wryly smiling. "Then be honest with me…" She tried to play it cool, but the nervousness that had been building up while she was waiting came back. After a moment, she found the courage to ask, "Do you like me or not?"

Yuuko continued trying to dodge the question, "Do you mean 'like' or… _'like-like'_?"

"What are we, grade-schoolers?" Natsuki sarcastically laughed, expecting a reply like that. "I'm asking if you 'like' me in the dating sense."

"I—"

It wasn't as if Yuuko hadn't given it any thought. It wasn't as if it hadn't been the subject on the forefront of her mind during every free moment. It wasn't as if she didn't enjoy Natsuki's company. It wasn't as if the idea of kissing the other girl didn't sound appealing. However…

She was confused. And most of all, she was stubborn.

"I don't think we're good for each other," she finally answered.

"What?" Natsuki replied. "So you want to fuck me, but not date me?"

Yuuko cringed at the vulgarity. "It's not that."

"Then what? Why would you kiss someone you don't like that way?"

"Listen!" Yuuko stomped her foot. "It's complicated, okay? It's—because—I also like someone else."

This certainly was news to Natsuki. "Who?"

" _Uh,_ Kaori," she responded as if it were obvious.

Natsuki made a noise somewhere between incredulous and mocking. "Are you serious? You're still stuck on her? She's way into Asuka, y'know."

"But she's not _dating_ Asuka."

"Yeah, but she's still—listen, if you wanna talk 'complicated,' then look no further. You're better off not touching that, not even with a 20-foot pole."

"I still want to tell her how I feel."

"I think she's well aware of your little schoolgirl infatuation-crush-thing-whatever. But I thought you were over that… I thought we…" Natsuki gestured in the space between them. "…had a good thing going. It was fun spending time together."

"It was. It is," Yuuko quickly clarified, trying to salvage the situation. "I'd like to still be friends."

"Oh. So… you don't want to be my girlfriend?"

"I—I don't know."

"Oh," Natsuki said again, now visibly crestfallen. "Then… I guess I'll see you around. Let me know when you figure shit out. Or don't. Whatever." As she continued to step back, Yuuko knew that she had screwed up. "But lemme tell you—I'm not gonna wait around for you forever! There's plenty of girls who would jump at the opportunity to date me! You got that?!"

"I got that," Yuuko responded too quietly and not fast enough for the other girl to hear her, as she had already entered the building.

She was so stupid.

...

"So fuckin' stupid," Natsuki hissed through gritted teeth. "Why did I have to fall for someone so infuriating—" Her frantic pace came to an abrupt halt as she rounded another corner and collided with someone carrying a large cardboard box.

"Ack!" its owner wailed as she and the box's contents fell to the floor.

Natsuki immediately recognized that it was Hazuki. "Katou?" Reaching down for one of the items, she also lowered her face, taking the time to regain her composure. "Watch where you're going, kid," she forcibly laughed.

"Oh no! I'm sorry, Natsuki!" Hazuki exclaimed after finding her wits about her. "The box is so big that I couldn't see where I was going—"

"Hey, don't worry, it happens," Natsuki airily replied, still assisting with the clean up. "What is this stuff?"

"It's for my anime club!" Hazuki proudly declared, appreciatively taking the manga from her bandmate. "I'm the vice president."

"You're in band and have a club? Sounds like you keep busy." Natsuki reached a helping hand out to Hazuki, pulling the shorter girl off the cold linoleum, and proceeded to brush herself off.

"Sure do!" Something pressing then caught Hazuki's attention. "Hey… are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"Are you cry—"

"Nope!" Natsuki quickly answered, starting another quick escape. "My eyes are just a bit watery—allergies, y'know? They're a bitch." Further down the hallway, she called back over her shoulder, "See ya at practice!"

"See ya," Hazuki replied with a light wave.

No one saw Natsuki at practice.

...

However, Kumiko did see her the next day.

Making her way up the driveway, she passed by the same dilapidated car sitting in its usual spot, its tires stubbornly melded into the cracked concrete below. They really needed to get that thing fixed.

Opening the front door, she was welcomed into the Nakagawa home by Natsuki's dog, his nails clacking excitedly against the hardwood floor. Natsuki had found him as an abandoned puppy, so his breed was unknown—he looked to be 1/3 shiba inu, 1/3 terrier, and 1/3 walking mess. That fraction made no sense, but neither did the actions of the neurotic canine most of the time.

"Yuta!" Natsuki called at her pet from the kitchen. "Chill out!" The words had no effect, being drowned out by excited yapping. "Shaddup!"

"He sure is happy to see me," Kumiko noted, now crouched down to give Yuta some belly rubs.

"Yeah, he's losing his mind," Natsuki agreed, popping up around the door frame. "It's like you're back from the war or something."

"It hasn't been _that_ long since I've been over here."

"Eh, it's cool," Natsuki flippantly waved a hand. "I know you've been busy with your girl."

However, Kumiko's guilt was not assuaged. She followed her friend into the kitchen, the dog right on her heels. Something was cooking in the crock pot on the counter. "Whatcha makin'?"

"My classic Mexican concoction! We can make burritos with it. Oh, and I got some donuts too."

"Burritos and donuts?" Kumiko laughed. "Is that really the best combination?"

"Probably not." It was at that moment when Natsuki's one-eyed cat, who was perched atop the fridge, decided to pounce on the table. "Christ!" Natsuki exclaimed in surprise, shooing the cat off the table. "Get outta here, Rikka! Crazy animals, man."

"It's fitting for you that your pets would be crazy," Kumiko noted, grabbing a donut. Yuta loudly whined, wanting a treat too.

"At least I'm not a crazy cactus lady. You want something to drink?"

"Sure."

"Then you're in luck!" Natsuki swiftly grabbed a large glass bottle from the fridge and placed it onto the table with a loud thud.

"What is that?"

"Arbor Mist," Natsuki slowly read the label as if her friend was dumb.

"I can read. I mean, what kinda drink is it?"

"It's wine, my friend."

"Like, alcoholic?"

"Yes, alcoholic, you dope," Natsuki confirmed, already pouring two glasses.

"Uh—wait! How did you get that?"

"It's my mom's."

"Won't she get mad if you drink her wine?"

"Eh, she probably won't notice."

"I bet she'll notice when she gets home in the morning."

"Well, that's future me's problem," Natsuki shrugged, taking a sip. She held the other glass out to Kumiko. "Here."

"Uh, I don't know…"

"A little won't hurt. Live a little, alright? If pot doesn't relax you, then maybe some wine will."

Normally, Kumiko wouldn't give into her friend's peer pressures, but she had tried some champagne recently and been fine. What harm could some wine do? "You're a bad influence," she said.

"Nah, it's Asuka who's the bad influence. It was her idea to smoke that time, remember?"

"I still have nightmares about it."

Natsuki started singing, "Some _body_ once told me—"

"No, no, no!" Kumiko wailed, trying to cover her ears. "Anything but that song! That song brings bad memories!"

Natsuki laughed at her friend's exaggerated anguish. "It feels like it's been a while since the three of us hung out, too. But Asuka's been busy looking at colleges… and her mom's been around lately too, and watches her like a hawk."

"Her mom could use some weed."

"I know, right? But seriously, I hate that bitch. I can't wait for Asuka to get away from her. Can you imagine what would happen if her mom found out she was gay?"

"Disown her?"

"She'd probably _kill_ her. I mean, I know you aren't open to your folks either, but compared to Asuka, you've got it easy."

"I dunno…" Kumiko took a long sip, not minding the bitter fruitiness of the drink. Maybe even enjoying it. She didn't enjoy interrogating her friends, though. "So… How come you weren't at practice yesterday?"

Natsuki leaned against the counter. "I told you, remember? I starting feeling sick."

"You seem fine today."

"Yeah, it must've been something I ate, cause I felt bad after lunch. That cafeteria food sucks, y'know."

"Hm, yeah. Yuuko said the same thing."

Natsuki nearly did a comedic spit-take at the mention of the girl's name. "Since when do you talk to Yuuko?"

"Reina told me. She sent Yuuko a text asking why she wasn't at practice too."

"Ah…" Natsuki wasn't physically cornered, but she certainly felt like it.

"Did something happen? Did you actually talk to her? How did it go?"

"If we _both_ felt sick, how do you _think_ it went?"

"What happened?" Kumiko continued questioning.

Natsuki's attempt to answer was interrupted with the ding of a timer. "Food's ready," she decided to say instead. "You haven't eaten all day, right?"

"Natsuki—"

"Come on! Let's eat, drink, and be merry! Then I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"…Fine."

...

After eating and inadvertently consuming the entire bottle of wine, they made their way to Natsuki's bedroom. It didn't look much different from the last time Kumiko had been over. The words 'organized chaos' would be an apt descriptor to most parts of the room.

"Sit."

Kumiko obeyed the command, plopping down in the nearby beanbag chair. She was also obediently quiet, waiting for her friend to speak.

Natsuki loudly sighed, taking a seat on her futon. "When I asked Yuuko if she wanted to be my girlfriend… she told me, and I quote, 'I don't think we're good for each other.'"

Kumiko made an audible noise of sympathy, especially after seeing the pain on her friend's face. "I'm really sorry, Natsuki. But… why did she kiss you if she didn't like you like that?"

"I dunno. The heat of the moment? Drunk on the atmosphere?" Even though Asuka was the host of that party, the punch had not been spiked. "The better question is… why did I even ask if I could kiss her?"

"Well—"

"No need to answer. I already know. It's 'cause I'm stupid."

"You're not—"

"I am!" Natsuki interrupted again, her voice cracking a bit. "I… I got too greedy."

"What?"

"We… we were just starting to become close, and I ruined everything," Natsuki sighed again, resting her chin in her hand. "She said she still wants to be friends, but now it'll be all weird and awkward, if she even still wants to talk to me."

"Uh, well, I'm sure it'll get better," Kumiko tried to comfort and reason. "I mean, you're in band together. Plus, we're all friends. You guys can hang out with me and Reina."

Natsuki curled her lip in mild disgust. "Yeah, that sounds like a ton of fun. The not-couple hanging out with the _perfect_ couple."

"Hey, c'mon, we're not perfect." Kumiko sunk further back into the chair, her body feeling heavier due to the effects of the wine.

"Yeah. I guess that remains to be seen. How long have you two been together now?"

"Oh… almost three months."

"Hm… You know what they say—three months is usually the make-or-break time for relationships. If it's the real deal, that's when it starts to become obvious," Natsuki stated, harshly pulling the other girl from her dream-like state back into reality. "Like I said, you and Reina spend so much time together that she might be sick of you by now. So if she does break up with you—"

"Don't say that!" Kumiko nearly shouted, looking extremely distressed. The thought of Reina breaking up with her was enough to make her cry, and the alcohol in her system only added to the emotions.

"Okay, okay, relax," Natsuki held her hands up in defense, shielding herself from the sudden volume. "I'm sorry."

"You should be. I don't think I could handle that… I love her too much…"

"Geez, _love?_ " Natsuki asked incredulously, eyes widening. "Have you already told her that?"

"Yeah. I told her back at Christmas, and she said she loved me back… Is that bad?"

"Leave it to a couple of lesbians…" Natsuki shook her head in amusement. "I dunno, man… that seems really fast. But it's probably not a good idea to take advice from me, since I'm not currently in such a _wonderful_ relationship."

Kumiko was taken aback by her tone. The wine wasn't the only thing that was slightly bitter. "Are you jealous or something?"

"Do I seem jealous?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well, I'm _not._ Dating's kinda overrated, anyway, especially if it turns you into some kinda lovestruck idiot with a one-track mind."

"What? _"_

"I'm kinda regretting helping you out with Kousaka," Natsuki continued quite seriously. "It got me all mixed up with Yuuko _and_ took away my best friend."

" _What?_ " Kumiko asked again. "How did it take me away? I'm right here."

"Sure, but when's the last time you came over?"

"Well… uh…"

"Yeah, exactly," Natsuki scoffed. The alcohol was making her more emotional as well. "Cause you're too damn busy with your _girlfriend_ all the time."

"Well, _excuse_ me!" They had never argued before—at least, not like this. Kumiko sat up, her heart starting to beat faster. "If you wanted to hang out with me more, you could've said something!"

"Yeah, and you were always busy with Reina!" Natsuki loudly retorted.

"Not _all_ the time!"

"Like 99% of the time! And do you think I enjoy watching you two be so lovey-dovey on our rides home every damn day? It grosses me the hell out!"

"Then get your car fixed so I don't have to drive you around all the damn time!"

"I don't have the money for that!"

"But you've got the money for video games!"

"Ugh, now you're sounding like Yuuko."

"And you're sounding like an ass. No wonder she doesn't want to be your girlfriend—uh." The look on Natsuki's face told her she definitely went too far with that one. "I didn't mean—"

"No, you did," Natsuki firmly stated, trying to hide her hurt. "Seriously, how does Kousaka put up with you? How about you leave and go to her house instead?"

"Maybe I will—" Kumiko quickly rose to her feet, but ended up having to drop to one knee, grabbing the edge of the mattress for balance. "Uh."

"Take it easy, lightweight."

The mocking laugh sounded muffled in Kumiko's ears, drowned out by her pounding heart. "I feel… weird."

"You _are_ weird," Natsuki flatly retorted, still unamused.

"No, I…" Kumiko swallowed, her throat dry as sandpaper. "I feel… kinda sick."

That got Natsuki's full attention. "Dude, if you're gonna hurl, go to the bathroom!"

"O-okay." Kumiko managed to find her balance before losing it again by the time she got to the door, needing to hold onto the doorframe for dear life.

"Kumiko, are you alright?" Natsuki's voice sounded further away than it should have been. "I've never seen you like this."

Kumiko didn't reply to Natsuki's concerned inquiry, too focused on making her way to the bathroom. One hand stayed firmly against the wall, partly for stability and the other for guidance. The edges of her vision were starting to blacken.

It felt like she was going to pass out.

Soon, Kumiko found her way to the bathroom and slumped against the wall. "Oh, god," she said, wondering how much she should fight against the urge to vomit. "I think I might throw up."

"Do you want some water?" Natsuki asked, already grabbing a glass on the counter and filling it up. If Kumiko had passed out, she would've been there to catch her, since she was closely following behind her friend's stumbling walk. "Did the wine make you sick?"

"I think…" Kumiko started, but paused. It wasn't the wine, it was—uncontrollable shaking, sudden sweating, heart racing, fast breathing— _those_ were familiar sensations. It was a panic attack. With that thought in mind, she began to rely on her usual breathing exercises. Thankfully, the meal from earlier decided to stay put. "I think I'll be okay."

After five minutes, Kumiko's faculties somewhat returned to her, and Natsuki sat close while things calmed down. Even her dog appeared concerned (or just wanted attention, most likely), walking in the room to check things out.

Kumiko scratched Yuta behind the ears as she tried to figure out what happened, "I took my medicine right before coming over here, and I hadn't eaten… then had that wine. I thought I'd be fine since I was eating with it, but I guess not, 'cause it hit me all at once. I started panicking."

"Geez, kid," Natsuki breathed out in relief, also slumping against the wall. "You freak out when you smoke, you freak out when you drink… What am I gonna do with you? You're no fun at all," she teased.

"Forgive me for having an anxiety disorder. And, uh… I'm sorry… about what I said."

"You're forgiven," Natsuki placed a kind hand on the younger girl's shoulder. The dog followed suit, placing a paw on Kumiko's leg.

"Does he understand my pain too?" Kumiko asked in amazement.

"No, I trained him to do that. You alright now?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good." There was a pause before she admitted, "I'm sorry too. I was being a jerk… You're right. I was jealous."

"It's okay," Kumiko said sympathetically.

The two friends sat there for a while longer, still recovering from the situation.

"…You don't think Reina would want to break up with me, do you?"

Natsuki winced, mostly from guilt. "Hey, I'm not a mind reader," she laughed, trying to lighten the mood, but to no avail. "Listen… I didn't mean to freak you out. I don't actually think she's sick of you or would want to break up with you or whatever. She seems pretty smitten with you, for whatever reason."

"Heh. Yeah."

"Seriously, how did you snag such a hottie like her anyway?"

Kumiko side-eyed the inferred insult. "I acted like myself."

"Terrible personality and all?"

"Yes," Kumiko deadpanned to the actual insult. "I'm also nice to her. She thinks I'm sweet."

"Huh…" Natsuki nodded slowly. "I'm sweet too, right?"

"You're a peach."

"I'm practically a hot commodity," Natsuki continued, trying to convince herself more than Kumiko, who had no opinion on the matter. "It's like I told Yuuko—any girl would be happy to date me. I don't have to settle for what short little weirdo!"

"Aren't you two the same height?"

"I—" Natsuki stopped talking at the sound of her cell phone loudly ringing in her bedroom. "Hold that thought. Lemme see who that is."

Kumiko held her lack of thoughts until Natsuki burst back into the bathroom.

"Yuuko's calling me!" she exclaimed as she skid across the floor, holding her phone out to prove it. The edges of Kumiko's vision were still a bit blurry, but she could make out the name 'Yuuko' on the screen. So she hadn't deleted the other girl's number from her phone yet. "What should I do? Should I answer?"

Over the course of their friendship, this was a side to Natsuki that Kumiko hadn't seen—one showing an uncharacteristic and almost girlish nervousness.

"Yes, answer!" Kumiko told her, having enough wits about her to not say otherwise.

Natsuki managed to catch the call before it went to voicemail. "H-hey," her voice cracked for a second before clearing her throat. "What's up?"

 _"Hey, it's Yuuko,"_ the girl on the other end stated calmly. _"I, uh… wanted to talk to you… Is now a good time?"_

"Sure, but… uh… I should warn you that I've kinda been drinking, so, uh, in case I say anything stupid…"

The silence on the other end was enough to say that Yuuko was most definitely not impressed. _"Actually, never mind. Don't worry about it,"_ she said, taking the quick way out. _"I'll see you at school. Bye."_

"No, wait!" Natsuki tried to say, but the call ended. The phone dropped from her hand as she also dropped further to the floor. "Why did I say that? I should've just talked to her, right?"

Kumiko tried to comfort as best she could, "I appreciated your honesty."

"That doesn't help," Natsuki muttered into the fuzzy floor mat. It smelled like mildew. "Y'know what _would_ help, though?"

"What?"

"More wine!"

"No."

"You're right. That's not a good solution." She moved back up into a sitting position, shoulders slumped. "What am I gonna do, kid?"

Kumiko 'hmm'ed in thought. "Well, you could try to get over her, or…"

"Or…?"

"You could… woo her?"

Natsuki squinted her eyes at her friend. The gears in her head were starting to turn. "Like, being nice and buying her gifts and stuff?"

"Yes, that's part of it."

"Huh… Being nice… that might just be crazy enough to work." Kumiko couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not, and was then caught off guard by Natsuki quickly rising to her feet. "Alright then! I just got a great idea."

"What?"

"If _you_ managed to melt the Ice Queen Kousaka's heart—"

"She's not an—"

"—then that means you must be a love expert."

"Love expert?"

"I'm going to show Yuuko exactly what she's missing," Natsuki declared.

If Kumiko didn't know any better, she could've sworn that sounded almost threatening. Was this a plan to seduce Yuuko or to get revenge? Whatever Natsuki had in mind, Kumiko knew that she was being dragged into something ridiculous.

Friends could be such a pain.


	16. Living With Determination

Yuuko quickly hit the 'end call' button. "She said that she'd been drinking," she informed Reina, who was sitting across from her and listening in with rapt attention.

"They're drinking?" Reina asked in surprise. "Uh oh." Immediately, she started drafting a concerned text to her girlfriend: _'It's not a good idea to mix your medicine with alcohol…'_

Yuuko watched the other girl's actions with a sardonic smirk, assuming correctly who she was messaging. There was also a slight twinge of jealousy due to wishing that she had someone of her own to get texts like that from. She _could_ have had that, after all—if she wasn't so unbelievably stubborn.

"I'm sure they're fine," Yuuko softly reassured.

"I hope so," Reina replied, placing the phone back down beside her on the bed. "So what are you going to do now?"

Yuuko sighed, letting her eyes wander around Reina's well-kept room. She had made an impromptu visit to the Kousakas' house, hoping to spend some time with her friend, and to get away from spinning her mental wheels at home. Luckily for her, Reina had been unoccupied with any of her usual main activities: homework, lessons, practice, or Kumiko.

She had ended up sadly and sheepishly recounting the encounter she had with Natsuki yesterday. Reina was befuddled, and quickly convinced Yuuko to call the other girl… which led to the current situation.

"Other than continuing to beat myself up for being so stupid?" Yuuko flatly answered. "I don't know."

Reina furrowed her eyebrows. "Tell me again what you told Natsuki yesterday…?"

"I told her that I didn't think we were good for each other."

"And you really think that's the case?"

"Well, I mean… She said she was drinking, right? Who wants to get mixed up with a girl like that, am I right…" Yuuko hollowly laughed, mostly trying to convince herself.

Reina sighed in exasperation, not convinced at all. "I don't understand why you're being so stubborn."

"I didn't think she actually liked me that much, or like _that_. But when she asked me if I wanted to be her girlfriend, and I said 'I don't know,' her face…"

Yuuko could remember the moment in vivid clarity—the look in Natsuki's eyes, and how visibly she was hurt, even through her attempts to hide it. Yuuko wanted to reach out and pull her back when she moved away, to tell her she was sorry, but it was too little, too late. She never thought _she'd_ be the one to break someone's heart.

"…I knew I had really messed up."

Reina pinched the bridge of her nose. "It sounds like this problem could be solved by some simple communication."

"How am I supposed to talk to her _now_?! I'm such an idiot… And I told her I liked Kaori! Which, I mean, I do, but…"

"Not in the way you like Natsuki," Reina finished for her. "Please… communicate… I beg you."

"I suppose I _should_ take some cues from the perfect couple," Yuuko teased, poking at Reina with her foot. "You told me that you and Kumiko can talk about anything, right?"

"That's true, but we're not perfect. We both have issues."

"Ooh, like what?"

"That's private."

"I know," Yuuko chuckled. "Hey…" Her tone got markedly more mischievous, trying to direct the conversation away from herself, "have you two done it yet?"

"Oh…" And it worked—Reina was now thoroughly distracted with the mental images that question brought up. "Not yet…" she answered quietly, trying to hide her reddening face in the pillow she was holding. "We talked about it a little while ago, and I told her I wasn't ready."

"Are you ready now?"

"…Maybe," she muttered. "I was hoping to bring it up again last weekend, but she didn't seem in the mood."

Kumiko did seem tired—even a little sad—during their last sleepover, so they spent most of the time cuddling and watching funny videos.

"Then you need to get her in the mood!" Yuuko declared, slapping the mattress for emphasis. "She's probably waiting on you to make a move. Here's what you do—" She grabbed a nearby pillow and exaggeratedly caressed it. "Hold her close and tell her, 'Kumiko, I wish to make sweet, passionate love with you,' and throw her on the bed—" She tossed the pillow, "—and have your way with her."

Reina laughed, mostly from embarrassment at the idea. "You make it sound so easy."

"Because I'm _excellent_ at giving relationship advice… but not following it," Yuuko trailed off as she checked her phone for the time. It was disheartening to see no attempts from Natsuki to call her text her back. "I need to get going. It was fun hanging out. We should do it more often."

"Definitely," Reina agreed. "I'll walk you out." Following her friend back downstairs, she added, "You really should take your own advice, you know."

"The part about throwing her on the bed?" Yuuko asked over her shoulder.

Reina laughed again. "Not necessarily, but if that ends up working, then by all means."

"It's not a bad idea. Anyway, I'll have to think of what to say to her now." While putting her shoes back on, she recalled, "Oh! I've got a dentist appointment Monday morning, so I won't be able to pick you up for school."

"That's fine. I can ask Kumiko if she can…" Her worries over her anxious girlfriend came back. "…when she's not, uh, indisposed."

"Okay, good," Yuuko gave her friend a quick hug goodbye. "See ya!"

"Bye," Reina returned the embrace. Affection like this from friends still felt a little odd, but she was getting used to it. "Drive safe… and don't do anything dumb."

"I'll try."

* * *

"Morning, cutie," Kumiko warmly greeted as her girlfriend got herself situated in the passenger's seat.

"Good morning," Reina happily replied. They shared a quick kiss. "Are you feeling better today?"

"Yep." Kumiko had spent most of Sunday in bed with a stomach ache and slight hangover… but Reina didn't know about the panic attack. "Natsuki, on the other hand…" She nodded towards the empty backseat before putting the car in drive. "She still feels sick, so she's skipping today."

"I see. Are you sure she's not a bad influence?"

"Ehh… let's say that it was a temporary lapse in judgment."

"Oh, so you must have a lot of those."

"Hey…"

Reina giggled. "Thanks again for picking me up this morning."

"No problem. Wherever you need me, I will be there!" Kumiko dramatically declared, making Reina laugh. "I bet you're looking forward to turning 16 so you can get _your_ license."

"I'm already 16, remember? I'll be 17 on May 15th."

"What? You're older than me?"

"Yes… Why do you sound surprised?"

"Huh… I guess that does make sense…" Kumiko mumbled, not answering the question. Sitting at a stop sign, she took the opportunity to look at Reina. More specifically, at her—

"Where are you looking?"

"N-Nowhere!" Kumiko yelped with that telltale expression of being caught doing something bad. It was a face Reina was becoming quite familiar with. Looking at the road again, she continued onward and tried to change the subject, "So how come you don't have your license?"

"My parents want me to be a little older before I get it. My mom says that she'd be too worried about me driving. They want me to be 'more mature'."

"What? You seem plenty mature…" Quieter, she added, "In more ways than one…"

"What was that?"

"N-nothing!" she cleared her throat. "Anyway, my parents practically forced me into getting my license as fast as possible… Maybe they trust me? Or they don't want to drive me around all the time. Or they just don't care."

"I'm sure they do," Reina said, patting Kumiko's leg before changing the subject herself. "So, I was doing some research on—" Her sentence was interrupted by the car hitting a speed bump quite hard. It wasn't entirely Kumiko's fault, since the aged vehicle had a pretty worn-out suspension. "Geez."

"Sorry," Kumiko apologized, her gaze darting back and forth from Reina to the road.

Reina raised an eyebrow at her. Why did Kumiko have that guilty look on her face again? "It's alright…" she replied, chalking it up to her girlfriend being weird as usual. "You know, there's a better way to school that avoids most of these speed bumps."

"Ah, I don't mind going this way."

Reina tried saying again, "So I was—" Until they hit another one, almost as hard. "Would you please slow down?"

"Sorry," Kumiko apologized again, and obviously not looking entirely at the road.

Reina crossed her arms protectively over herself. "Are you looking at my chest?"

"No!" she obviously lied. "I, um… just couldn't help but notice that, your, uh…" She tried to communicate the word 'breasts' with strange one-handed gestures. "That they, uh…"

"That they _what_?"

"Er… jiggled…"

"Is this why you don't mind going this way?"

"N-no! It's a little faster, is all! It's not 'cause I like when your boobs bounce! But I do!"

Reina wasn't sure whether to feel flattered, flustered, or furious—so she settled on a combination of the three. "You pervert!" she yelped, swatting Kumiko on the arm with righteous indignation.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Kumiko cried, also embarrassed at being caught staring. "It's hard not to look! I had boobs on the brain!"

Reina swatted her again. "Watch the road!"

They kept bickering all the way to school.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Midori," Hazuki continued as they made their way into their usual classroom for section practice, "carrying this tuba around all the time has made me feel pretty buff! I bet I could carry _you_ around!"

"Same to you," Midori nodded, partly hidden behind her contrabass.

"Hey, let's have a lifting contest—" Hazuki interrupted herself when she spotted Kumiko, now reminded of an urgent matter. "Kumiko!"

Kumiko leaned further back in her seat when Hazuki sped over, desiring some space from the other girl's energy and her large instrument. "What's up?"

"Is Natsuki not here today?!"

"No, she's sick."

"Hrrrm, is she?!" Asuka loudly responded, her voice echoing against the other side of the room. If she was trying to be imposing, it didn't quite work, since she was sitting the wrong way in a chair, facing away from the others. She tapped her foot impatiently. "What a convenient excuse."

"What does she mean by that?" Hazuki quickly asked Kumiko.

"Nothing," she responded. "She's in one of her weird moods today."

"Asuka's always weird," Takuya spoke up, causing Riko to giggle.

"Well, that's true," Hazuki agreed, but deeply frowned. "But I'm worried… I ran into Natsuki on Friday, and it looked like she was crying… and now she's been absent… I wanna know if she's okay!"

"She was crying?" Midori then gasped. "What if she's sick… from a broken heart?!"

"Why is that always your first thought?" Kumiko chuckled, trying to protect her friend's privacy. "Her stomach's been bothering her."

The excitable duo were not convinced. "What girl broke Natsuki's heart?" Hazuki questioned, putting down her tuba to bounce around in a pseudo fighting stance. "Midori and I will beat her up!"

"Yeah!" Midori put her own instrument aside to mimic the same movements. "We're strong! We'll show that temptress what for!"

"What the heck…" Kumiko laughed. Despite how silly they looked, the pair seemed quite serious. "I don't think that'll be necessary."

"So it _was_ a girl!"

"Ack—I didn't say that…"

"Alright, that's enough," Asuka spoke and stood up, adopting her business-like persona. "Since you all seem so energetic today, let's direct that to practice."

"Yes, ma'am!" Hazuki and Midori saluted their fearless leader, the both of them now slightly intimidated by her tone and presence.

"The sooner we get through our itinerary, the sooner we can leave." Turning towards Kumiko, she added, "And the sooner I can have a word with you."

Kumiko was now also intimidated. "Okay…"

* * *

Sooner than later, Kumiko and Asuka were the only ones left in the classroom. Kumiko waited for Asuka to speak first. Surprisingly, it was pleasant. "How goes it, my young protégé?"

"Oh… it goes," she responded noncommittally.

"I heard that you and Natsuki had a lot of fun without me," Asuka chuckled. "For the record, I don't condone underage drinking."

"What about smoking?" Kumiko smirked.

"That's a gray area. Either way, it's behavior unbecoming of future vice presidents."

"Huh?"

"You see, Kumiko… I have a grand vision," Asuka declared as she draped an arm over Kumiko's shoulders, "of my dearest and closest friends following in my footsteps to continue watching over the band."

"And who decided this?"

"I did, of course. Picture the band room in your head. Everything the light touches in there… is our kingdom."

Kumiko's mental image recalled a particular spot. "What about the shadowy corner?"

"You must never go over there! There's a strange stain on the floor. The janitorial staff really needs to get on that. Regardless, now that you now know of my fondest wish, you must fulfill it."

"So if Natsuki and I become VPs, then who are the presidents?"

"Your trumpet-playing girlfriends, of course."

"But she doesn't—"

"Ah, yes, that's the other matter we need to discuss," Asuka snapped her fingers, pretending to be reminded of the main issue. "It breaks my heart to see Natsuki hurting this bad…" The grip on Kumiko's shoulder got a little tighter. "…but it also annoys me, particularly when it starts to affect the band. I can't have someone in our section repeatedly not showing up."

Kumiko tried to squirm away. "It's only been two days. She'd probably be here today if we didn't have that awful food combination."

"Truly astounding. That's a level of poor decision making I would expect from _you_."

"Hey, what's that supposed to—"

"Natsuki's usually the rational one, too," Asuka crossed her arms pensively. "But love does strange things to people."

"You think it's love?"

"Well, it's _something_ ," she shrugged. "And that something is starting to get on my nerves. How is it that two people can have such difficulty communicating?"

"Feelings are hard. Maybe they've got baggage. You can relate, right?"

Asuka waved a hand, dodging the question, "Can I trust you to take care of this?"

"I guess," Kumiko shrugged, also noncommittally. "I mean, I'm not sure _how_ … Actually, Natsuki has some sort of plan… but I have no idea what it is."

"Whatever it is, I recommend tossing it out the window. Preferably out of a moving vehicle. Whatever scheme she's concocted in that head of hers will surely doom us all." Asuka draped herself over the other girl again, squeezing her close in a half-hug, half-headlock. "Save us, Kumiko!"

"Asuka, come on—" Kumiko grunted, trying to breathe in the tight hold. "Let go of me—"

Asuka's strange show of affection came to an end when she started to feel an intense stare directed their way. Reina was waiting at the door looking quite unamused. "Oh my," Asuka quietly asked Kumiko, "is that glare directed at you or me?"

"I'm… not sure," Kumiko quietly replied.

"Well, I best be going! I am a busy woman, after all!" The senior moved and grabbed her euphonium case with quick purpose, clearly wanting to get out and away from any other couples' personal affairs. "I'm counting on you!" she called back to Kumiko before making her full exit. "Don't let my vision of the future be a passing fancy!" And so, she was gone.

Reina stepped closer. "What was that about?"

"My friends are weird," Kumiko replied, shaking her head. "Um…" she started nervously, "You're not still mad at me, are you?" They hadn't seen each other since 2nd period, and Reina had given her the silent treatment.

"I'm not mad," Reina replied evenly. "I am annoyed, though. I was trying to tell you something important this morning, but you were too preoccupied with staring at my chest."

"Ah… I'm sorry, baby…"

"No pet names," Reina frowned, trying to be stern.

"Aw, but you're my sweet baby… My cutie pie~"

The tough shell Reina was trying to create started to crack. "I am not."

"Sugar pie honey bunch…"

"You're a dork," Reina tried not to smile. Why were cheesy nicknames one of her biggest weaknesses? Kumiko held her close in a sideways hug. "Quit it."

"Please forgive meee, my loveee…"

"You're such a nerd—"

"Excuse me," another voice spoke up.

Kumiko jumped back with a startled yelp. "Oh," she breathed out when she recognized that it was Yuuko. It was a relief that someone else didn't spot them being affectionate, but it was hard for Kumiko to hide her annoyance. The fondness she had started to feel for Reina's friend quickly evaporated after she broke Natsuki's heart.

Reina was also annoyed again. "Looking for Natsuki?" she asked.

"Um, well, yes… Was she not here today?"

"No," Kumiko replied with a slight sharpness. "She's sick."

Yuuko waited for further details, but got none. "Oh. I see. Well, um… Bye."

"See you later," Reina waved goodbye. Kumiko stayed quiet. "That was unlike you."

"Hm?"

"You were a bit rude."

"Because _I'm_ annoyed," she tried not to snap. "Seriously… what is wrong with her? She tells Natsuki that she's not interested, but now she's coming around looking for her? What does she want?"

"She wants to correct her mistake. She really regrets turning Natsuki down."

"I don't understand those two at all," Kumiko sighed in exasperation. "Do they like each other or not? Do they want to be girlfriends? Does Yuuko like Kaori or Natsuki?"

"It can be hard to be honest with yourself. Or to know exactly what you want."

Kumiko gave her a sideways smile. "Are you speaking from experience?"

"Maybe from another life…" Reina answered mysteriously.

"Sounds like you've been reading one too many young adult novels," Kumiko chuckled, brushing some hair from the other girl's face.

"Oh." An idea popped into Reina's head. "Maybe we should lock them both in a closet until they sort things out."

Kumiko laughed at Reina's overly serious tone. " _And_ too many teenage romcoms."

"Not _that_ many." And especially not for research purposes.

"And you call _me_ a nerd. C'mon, let's go home—" Suddenly, her phone went off. "Hello?"

 _"Kumiko!"_ Natsuki excitedly greeted, so loud that Kumiko had to distance the phone from her ear. _"Are you still at school?"_

"We're about to leave."

 _"Good, good. After you drop off Kousaka, head straight over here! Actually, you might have to head gayly over here, since you've never done a straight thing in your life—"_

It sounded like Natsuki had recovered, and was back to being as annoying as ever. The beginnings of a headache were starting to form. "Why?"

 _"I need your help with a thing! I'll explain later!"_

Kumiko couldn't reply, since the other girl already hung up.

"What was that about?" Reina asked.

"Like I said," Kumiko put her phone away and reached for Reina's hand, "my friends are weird."

* * *

When Kumiko arrived at Natsuki's house, she was surprised to see someone else also waiting for her.

"Sup, bro!" Shuuichi greeted, casually leaning against the trunk of Natsuki's car.

"Yo," she responded, returning the fist bump. "What are you doing here?"

"I called him," Natsuki answered, walking over with two buckets in hand full of soapy water. "I also require his help for the thing."

"She promised me snacks," he added. Clearly that was enough to coerce him.

"What is 'the thing'?" Kumiko asked, now also curious about the snacks.

"The 'thing' is cleaning up and fixing my car," Natsuki informed them, placing the buckets down with a determined force that sloshed some of the water out and onto the pavement. "It's part of my plan to woo Yuuko—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Shuuichi interrupted, having not been informed on this crucial detail. "You're trying to hook up with Yoshikawa?"

"Yes."

"Oooohhhh!" he cheered for no particular reason. "Wait… but I thought you hated her?"

"I do."

"I'm confused."

"Look, stop asking so many questions! I didn't call you over for conversation. I need your help with fixing this engine."

"That's sexist!" Shuuichi cried, looking exaggeratedly offended. "Just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I know anything about cars—"

Natsuki flattened her eyebrows and crossed her arms. "It's not 'cause you're a guy, ya dingus. You're always bragging about how much you know about cars 'cause your dad's a mechanic, right?"

"Oh, right… That's true," he realized. "I'll take a look!" He puffed his chest out, deliberately making his voice sound way deeper.

"Good grief." Kumiko shook her head, then asked, "So why am I here?"

"For moral support and looking pretty," Natsuki answered as she slapped a fresh sponge in the other girl's hand. "And scrubbing."

"That also sounds sexist."

"It's not. I'm merely utilizing my friends' particular skill sets." She slapped another sponge in Shuuichi's hand. "I'm also a believer of workplace equality."

"This is more like free labor."

"We _are_ going to get snacks for this, right?" Shuuichi asked again.

"I also want snacks," Kumiko grinned.

"Enough with the asking for snacks! You two are seriously obsessed with food." Ready to get down and dirty, Natsuki rolled up her sleeves and turned her hat backwards. "But, yes, I will compensate you for this. Be thankful that the car's not as muddy as it was."

"I'm ever so grateful."

"Less sarcasm, more scrubbing!"

"Okay, okay!" Kumiko relented, not liking the way Natsuki was threateningly pointing at her with the hose.

And so, the three amigos (as Shuuichi called them when they were together, to which Natsuki would reply 'please don't') began rinsing and washing Natsuki's car together—with two of them mostly motivated with the promise of sustenance later.

One important question did need to be asked, though. "How is washing your car even related to wooing Yuuko?" Kumiko asked.

"The answer is obvious, my friend," Natsuki 'tsk tsk'ed. "Chicks dig cars."

Shuuichi skeptically regarded the vehicle in front of them—scratched, dinged, and possibly older than him. "I thought chicks liked _cool_ cars."

"You're claiming to be an expert of what girls like?" Natsuki quipped. "I needed to fix this thing up anyway, and it'll come in handy for dates, even if it's a piece of junk. Kumiko managed to snag Kousaka with a crap car, so there's hope for me yet."

Kumiko clarified, "I told you already, Reina likes me for my personality." Natsuki and Shuuichi shared a look before bursting out laughing. "H-hey! What's so funny?!"

"Someone liking you for your personality…" Shuuichi wiped a tear of mirth away with his sleeve. "That's a good one, bro."

"Hey, Shuu, you've known Kumiko since you guys were kids, right?" Natsuki asked. "What was she like back then?"

"A weird nerd."

"Oh, so some things never change—"

"I don't have to stay here for this abuse," Kumiko pouted, putting the sponge down.

Natsuki aimed the hose at her again. "Don't you go anywhere! No food for you if you leave!"

"Fiiiiine."

"So what _do_ girls like?" Shuuichi asked, single-minded as always. "I need some tips on how to pick up chicks."

"Ask Kumiko on that one."

"Didn't I already tell you, dude?" Kumiko sighed. "Be nice, be genuine, be cute."

"He's gonna have a hard time with that last one," Natsuki chuckled.

Shuuichi frowned. "My mom thinks I'm cute."

"Impressive. Let's see, what other advice can we give you…"

"I really want a girl to like me…"

"You don't know?" Natsuki raised her eyebrows in surprise. "He doesn't know?" she asked Kumiko.

Kumiko paused. For some reason, she had never divulged the information of Hazuki's odd crush to him before—but since she was quickly becoming well-versed in getting involved in other people's love lives, she might as well. "Should we tell him?"

"Tell me what?"

"Weellll," Natsuki deliberately drug things out, snickering mischievously. "We _might_ know a girl that likes you."

"Who?!" Shuuichi asked and lunged forward with such desperation that the front of his shirt got soapy.

Kumiko paused again before finally sharing, "Hazuki Katou."

"Hazuki Katou…" Shuuichi pensively repeated. That name certainly rang a bell. "Oh! The short tuba girl from your section?"

"Yep. Actually, she's already tried asking you out before, but you didn't seem to get it…"

"What?!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "I don't remember that at all! When did that happen?!"

"Freshmen year."

"Wow," Natsuki whistled. "That's a special level of dumb."

"Katou, Katou…" Shuuichi kept repeating, searching through his memory banks. "Yeah! She's pretty high up on my ranking list of cuties."

"Your list?"

"It's more like an Excel spreadsheet, actually. At the beginning of the year, I took all the girls in the band, sorted them, and gave rankings based on their level of hotness."

"Wow," Natsuki said again. "Maybe don't mention that to her." A disturbing thought then popped up. "Are Kumiko and I on this list?"

"No way," Shuuichi vehemently shook his head. "I can't list my bros. That's just too weird."

Kumiko quickly asked, "Is Reina?"

"Of course!" he replied, far too proud. "Her body alone puts her in rank A—Um." He quickly stopped talking when he noticed the way Kumiko was glaring at him. There was a dangerous burning in her eyes that he had never seen before. "I mean… her beauty transcends any ranking…"

"Good save," Natsuki laughed. "I didn't know you were the jealous type, kid."

"I'm not," Kumiko defended herself. "At least, I don't think I am, but…" The sponge in her hand suddenly had all the water—and life—squeezed out of it as she stared Shuuichi down. "Stay away from my girl."

"Woooah!" Natsuki cheered, now greatly entertained. "I like this passion!"

Meanwhile, Shuuichi feared for his own life. "I wouldn't dream of it! It's the bro code!" He tried to save the situation, but only dug himself deeper, "I mean, she's not even really my type… I'd like a girl that's more cheery, y'know—less of an ice queen—Ack!" Kumiko threw a sponge at him. "Aw, now I'm all soaked… and soapy."

"Girls also like a guy who knows when to stop talking," Natsuki advised. "So less talking, more washing!"

"Aye aye, captain," Kumiko deadpanned. Shuuichi continued whining while wringing out his shirt.

* * *

"And we're back!" Natsuki cheered, stepping out of Kumiko's car with fast food bags in hand. Everyone present was definitely too obsessed with food. "What's the damage, chief?" she asked Shuuichi, who had been left behind to look at the engine while the girls gathered takeout.

"Again, I'm no expert," he answered, "but it looks like a part's… missing."

"Missing?! Kumiko! We've got to head to the creek!"

"Why the creek…?"

"But I don't think it's important," Shuuichi clarified. "Or else you wouldn't have been able to get the car back here." He wiped his dirtied hands on a rag. "I checked the oil, and replaced the fluids, and now the battery needs to be jumpstarted. It probably went dead just from sitting here in cold weather. Do you have jumper cables?"

"I've got some in my trunk," Kumiko offered.

"Then grab 'em! And pull your car up here!" Natsuki ordered, to which Kumiko complied with minor grumbling. "Y'know, Shuu, I'm impressed. This physical labor thing is right up your alley."

He narrowed his eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were insulting me."

"Exactly. You _don't_ know any better," Natsuki laughed, adding a playful shove. "But seriously, thanks. I award your efforts with some gorditas."

"I guess makes it worth it." Trying to act cool, he placed a hand on his chest and deepened his voice again, "Alright, let a _man_ show you _girls_ how to jumpstart a car…"

"Aaaaand now you've ruined the moment."

* * *

Shuuichi had since left and Kumiko checked the time. "I should probably get going too," she said. "My parents will be home soon. They'll wonder what I was doing if I get home after them."

"Alrighty," Natsuki nodded. "See you tomorrow, then."

"Do you still need a ride?"

"Hmm… yeah. The car might crank now, but I don't entirely trust it," she chuckled, and then sheepishly started scratching the back of her head. "Hey, uh… thanks. For, uh… everything, and helping me out today. I know I kinda dragged you into this expectedly, so I appreciate the help."

"Anytime," Kumiko genuinely smiled. "I'm here whenever you need me."

"Same goes for you." Natsuki shifted her weight nervously. "And, um… I'm still really sorry about the stuff I said on Saturday, and for getting all jealous. You're, like, my best friend, so… I don't want stuff like that ruining anything between us."

"Aw, it's okay," Kumiko continued to smile before becoming perplexed at her friend's actions. "What are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing?!" Natsuki stomped her foot on the ground, loosely holding her arms out. Refusing to make eye contact, she quietly admitted, "I—I want a hug."

"Aww!" Kumiko cooed from the utter cuteness. Natsuki never seemed to want hugs from her. "C'mere, then!"

"Geez…" Natsuki grumbled, hiding her face in the other girl's shoulder. It was embarrassing being the older of the two, but being the shorter one. She tried hard to fight the warm and fuzzy feelings. "Don't squeeze me so hard."

"I love you too, Natsuki."

"Shut up, _nerd!"_ Natsuki pushed away, holding her at arm's length. "Go home and take a shower!"

"Why are you blushing?" Kumiko laughed.

"I'm not blushing, it's just getting cold out here…" she lied, looking away again. There was only so much of this sappy stuff she could take. "Get goin'!"

"Okay, okay," Kumiko kept laughing as Natsuki continued to push her away and in the direction of her car. "You should really be more honest, y'know."

"That's good advice for another day."

* * *

When Natsuki walked back into the house, she received the usual overexcited greeting from her dog. "Hey there, Yuta," she immediately started baby-talking, sitting on the floor to scratch him behind the ears. "I bet you're hungry too, huh? Huh? You wanna eat dinner too, huh? Who's a good pupper—"

If anyone else saw how she acted around her pets, Natsuki knew she'd never hear the end of it.

Yuta started barking louder when her phone went off. "Sshh!" she ordered, standing back up. The name on the caller ID wasn't the one she wanted the most, or even expected at all: Hazuki. The members of the bass section exchanged phone numbers in the past, and Hazuki occasionally texted her, but a phone call was quite unusual. "Yo," she answered.

 _"Hey, Natsuki?"_ the other girl replied, unsure if she had the correct number.

"Yep, it's me." Yuta was now nipping at her feet. "What's up? Everything okay?"

 _"That's what I was gonna ask_ you _!"_ Hazuki chirped. _"I was, uh, kinda worried since you missed some days, and Kumiko said you were sick, so… I wanted to check on you."_

Natsuki smiled, feeling the warm fuzzies of friendship coming back. She didn't think Hazuki cared that much about her. "Yeah, I'm feeling better. Thanks for checking up on me."

 _"I'm glad! …And, um, there's another reason I called."_

"Uh oh," she chuckled. "If it's to ask for money, then you're outta luck."

 _"N-no, it's not that! I wanted to talk to you—er, get some advice, actually. Will you be at school tomorrow?"_

"I planned to be, yeah."

 _"Can you meet me at the bottom of the west stairway as soon as you get to school?"_

"Uh, sure. What's this about?" Natsuki asked cautiously, but definitely intrigued.

 _"I'll tell you tomorrow—well, I'll let you go now—bye!"_

"See ya," Natsuki barely got in before Hazuki quickly ended the call. "Huh." Why did she sound so nervous?

That was certainly interesting, but for now, Natsuki put the issue and her phone away. She needed to tend to her pets, take a shower, and most importantly, needed to pick out an appropriately cute outfit for tomorrow.

This was a serious mission in matters of the heart. Nothing was going to stand in her way.


	17. I'll Face Myself

a/n: Hello again, my lovely readers. I want to update this story more often that I've been able to, but y'know… life. In other news, the 1st Hibike novel has now been released in English, and it's been a pretty entertaining and _inspiring_ read (spoilers: it's pretty gay). If you can, please support the official release! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Despite her best efforts to be quiet, Kumiko's entrance into her house did not go unnoticed.

"Kumiko," a gruff voice called her name in a familiar tone that translated to 'come here right now.'

Kumiko cautiously peeked her head around the doorframe. "Hi, Dad," she greeted. Tadao was standing at the kitchen counter brewing some tea.

Tadao wryly smiled. "Trying to sneak upstairs without even saying hello to your old man?"

"Ah, not exactly," Kumiko let out a relieved laugh. More often than not, her father was in an unpleasant mood after work, so it was nice to see him amicable for once. Actually, his moods were unpredictable in general. "You're home early."

"The production's a bit ahead of schedule, so I was able to sneak out sooner today," he explained, further loosening his necktie. "More importantly, you're home late. Practice didn't run that long, did it?"

"Um… I was hanging out with Natsuki."

"And what were you doing?"

"…Washing her car."

Tadao raised a curious brow. "In this weather?"

"It's, er… a long story. Shuuichi also helped."

"Well, if there's one thing that boy's good for, it's manual labor," he chortled at his own joke. "Do you want some tea?"

"Thanks, but I really wanna go take a shower." Sweating outside in the cold had left her feeling clammy and uncomfortable. "Maybe later."

"Alright. Make sure you get your homework done," Tadao tacked on before his daughter left the room. "I expect good grades come report card time."

"Yes, sir!" Kumiko called out from over her shoulder. Just as she was about to turn to head upstairs, her mother walked in the front door.

"Hi, honey," Akiko greeted, immediately removing her dress shoes from her aching feet. "Did you have a good day at school?"

"Ehhh," was the standard noncommittal answer. "How was work?"

"Ehhh," Akiko repeated back. "Oh, I was outside chatting with Mrs. Sakamoto, and she told me that she really needs a babysitter for Saturday night. I told her you'd be more than happy to! You'll need to be at their house at 6."

Judging by that satisfied smile, it was clear that Akiko was convinced that she had done Kumiko a great favor by already committing her to this job.

"Oh, uh," Kumiko faltered for a moment. "I guess that's fine." Not like she could back out now anyway.

"Good!" Akiko chirped, and left it at that.

As she headed upstairs, Kumiko checked her mental calendar. Saturday was the 4th, which meant that Sunday was the 5th—her and Reina's 3-month anniversary. It didn't seem like that big of a deal, but Kumiko was quickly learning that Reina was the type who placed great importance on those sorts of milestones.

Reina was also the type who, especially when on a mission, was determined to get what she wanted. Lately she had been dropping some pretty blatant hints about wanting to spend more _'alone time'_ with Kumiko, including suggesting another sleepover _very_ soon.

Kumiko shivered—and it wasn't entirely due to the cold fabric clinging to her skin. Tossing her backpack on the floor, she made her way to the bathroom, peeling articles of clothing off on the way. Before getting the shower, however, she stopped to appraise herself in the mirror.

And sighed. 'Positive body image' was not exactly a phrase in Kumiko's vocabulary. Her preoccupation (and borderline obsession) with breasts didn't only stem from attraction, but also envy. The voluptuous curves of other girls at school were parts pleasing but also irritating. Asuka was one example that came to mind, of course—but Reina was at the top of Kumiko's list of girls with the most attractive figures. It seemed weird to desire Reina's body… in more ways than one.

Kumiko also recalled the conversation they had about… doing… 'it' (the word 'sex' was too embarrassing even to think). She had told Reina that she was ready—mostly—more or less—she certainly wouldn't be opposed to the idea—but her insecurities filled her with doubt. What would Reina think about her body? Would she be pleased? Kumiko scoffed. Certainly not impressed. Especially compared to someone as gorgeous as her…

As they often did nowadays, fantasies of a naked Reina popped into her head. At this rate, she would need to take a cold shower instead of a hot one.

* * *

The school hallways always felt eerie this early in the morning. Natsuki strolled to the spot where Hazuki had asked to meet up, her fresh sneakers squeaking loudly with each step. Making her way down the steps, she jumped the last two. "Katou?" she called out, her voice also echoing.

"I'm right here," Hazuki popped up from behind a corner with a friendly wave. "Y'know, you can just call me Hazuki, by the way."

"Ah, but calling you Katou is fun! But alright, I gotcha—Hazuki it is. So what's up?"

"Well, uh…" Hazuki was clearly frazzled. Instead of answering the question, she complimented, "You look really nice today!"

"Thanks," Natsuki replied, brushing some imaginary dander off her new jacket. With a new shirt, new jeans—new underwear, too, if anyone asked—she had made it a point to spruce up today. Yuuko had complained on more than one occasion on the tattered and repetitive state of her clothing. "So, whatcha need? You said you wanted some advice, right?"

"Uh, yeah… for a friend!" Hazuki wrung her hands together nervously.

"Uh huh. A friend," Natsuki smirked, partly playing along. "So what's your 'friend' need?"

"Well, you see… She's felt a little… confused lately. She thought that she liked this guy—well, she still does, kinda—but now she can't stop thinking how pretty and nice girls are, oh, and they smell good, too—"

"Hazuki," Natsuki gently interjected, trying not to laugh. "It's really obvious you're talking about yourself."

"No! It's not me! …Okay, it is me. …And it was a favor that I wanted…"

"A favor?"

Hazuki clapped her hands together, pleading. "I want you to kiss me!"

For a moment, Natsuki's brain stopped. It was shock akin to a lightbulb suddenly going out.

"What."

Hazuki repeated, more embarrassed, "I want you to kiss me. Please!"

"…What."

"You're the only one I can turn to for this!" Hazuki began to frantically explain. "You're the gayest girl I know! Well, besides Asuka or Kumiko, but Asuka scares me, and I can't ask Kumiko for something like this because if Reina found out, she'd definitely kill me, so—"

"Hold on, hold on," Natsuki interrupted the stream of speech being blasted at her. "If you want to kiss a girl, why not Midori? She'd probably be willing. We did all watch her kiss Asuka, for goodness sake."

"No way! That'd be too weird! She's my best friend, and plus she looks like a kid!"

"I hate to break this to you, kid, but we're _all_ technically kids. So here's my second question…" And arguably the most important one. "Why do you want to kiss a girl?"

"I… want to see if I like it."

Natsuki sighed, not liking this situation one bit, or the sad and defeated appearance of her friend. What was she, some all-knowing gay guru or something? Actually, she did pride herself on that. It sure was a hard life being the cool and handsome upperclassman that made all the younger girls in the band swoon.

At least, that's what she liked to think. Asuka would be passing that torch to her soon enough anyway.

"I guess it's sound logic," Natsuki shrugged, unable to argue with the idea. One huge concern nagged at her, though. "Alright, let's go to the bathroom. I don't want anyone seeing us."

If Yuuko saw the two in even the briefest of lip locks, then it would no doubt make Natsuki's situation even worse. This wasn't some lame teenage drama or something.

They made their way into the handicap stall of the closest restroom, making sure to lock the door behind them.

"This isn't very romantic," Hazuki commented with a pout, glancing at the toilet that was in desperate need of a scrubbing.

Natsuki crossed her arms and quipped, "What, should I take you to dinner first? You kinda sprung this on me suddenly. Beggars can't be choosers."

"I know, but… I just never pictured my first kiss to be in a bathroom."

"Whoa, wait, this is your first kiss?"

"Hold on!" she yelped. "What if I say it doesn't count?"

"It's up to you, kid. Now be quiet and c'mere."

"Okay, I'm ready. Sorry," Hazuki let out a nervous breath. "Let's do this," she declared, standing at attention like a toy solider.

Natsuki laughed. "Don't look so stiff. You look like you're on a death march."

"Sorry."

"Just relax," Natsuki softly ordered, placing her hands on the other girl's shoulders. She felt Hazuki tense up for a moment, and then relax underneath her fingers. "Ready?"

"Hold on! I gotta prepare!" Her eyebrows furrowed into an expression that communicated 'this is my preparing face.' "Okay, I'm ready."

"Close your eyes," Natsuki said, to which Hazuki complied. Their lips were about to touch, but—

"Wait!"

"What now?!"

"…What if I like it? What does that mean?"

Natsuki softly sighed, trying not to lose her patience. "That's also up to you to decide. Now hush and let's get this over with."

"Hey!" Hazuki frowned, looking quite offended. "You could act a little more excited to kiss me!" More quiet and unsure, she asked, "…I'm cute, right?"

"Yes, you're cute. You're adorable," Natsuki rolled her eyes with exasperated fondness. "You talk too much, though."

"Hey!" Hazuki said again, pouting in a way that Natsuki did indeed find adorable. "Okay, I'm ready. For real this time." She quickly shut her eyes and slightly puckered her lips.

Again, Natsuki tried not to laugh. She slowly leaned down and gave a Hazuki a kiss—short, sweet, and lovely. After separating, Hazuki opened her eyes, but her freshly-smooched lips turned downward in a contemplative frown.

"What?" Natsuki asked worriedly, misinterpreting the other girl's expression. "No good?"

"Ack!" Hazuki yelped, snapping out of it. "No—I mean yes—I mean… it was nice." She blushed before quietly asking, "I, uh, do you think we could try that again? …Just to be sure."

"…Alright," she relented. Natsuki was a sucker for the puppy dog eyes. "Just one more."

Their second kiss lingered a little longer due to Natsuki's determination to make it as pleasing as possible. Her pride was also at stake here—it'd be awful if Hazuki's memory of her first kiss was a bad one, after all.

"Well?" Natsuki asked, hoping that Hazuki was now thoroughly satisfied.

"Hm," she responded contemplatively again, making Natsuki nervous. "…I liked it," she sheepishly admitted. "What does that mean?"

Natsuki stepped back with a relieved sigh. "I'm glad you liked it," she laughed. "As for what it means, I dunno. Maybe you're bi. Or maybe I'm just an amazing kisser."

"Very funny. _You're_ the one said that I was super straight!"

"Pretty sure I said that you weren't gay. And hey, maybe you are. But you could be bi. There's nothing wrong with that, either."

Hazuki chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment, pondering the idea. "…If I'm bi…now what?"

"Like I said, it's up to you," Natsuki advised, placing a kind hand on Hazuki's shoulder. "Feel free to ask for advice that doesn't involve more kissing."

"Aw."

"Sorry to disappoint, kiddo. C'mon, we should get outta here."

As the two exited the stall, Hazuki spoke up appreciatively, "Thanks again for doing this for me, Natsuki."

"Hey, glad I could help. It's not everyday you get to kiss such a cutie—"

Natsuki suddenly stopped talking, all intended words exiting her brain. A horrified choke creeped out of her throat as she stared back at the girl standing at the sink.

Of course, it was Yuuko. "Well," she said after a long pause, her wide eyes flicking back and forth between Natsuki and Hazuki. "Excuse me." Not even bothering to dry her hands, she bolted out of the restroom. Natsuki had never seen her move that fast.

An attempt to cry out "wait!" turned into another choking sound.

The extremely confused Hazuki began gently shaking her friend out of her stunned stance. "Hey, Natsuki! Earth to Natsuki!" The only response she got were some strange gurgling noises. "What the heck was that about?" Finally, she put two and two together. "Oh my gosh! Is Yuuko the one who broke your heart?! Oh no! Did I… did I just mess things up?"

Natsuki recovered for a moment to comfort the younger girl, "No, it wasn't your fault… it was mine… Don't worry about it."

Of course, Hazuki was going to be worried. "Go after her!" she demanded.

"What?"

"You heard me!" She began roughly pushing her out the door, despite Natsuki's protests. "Tell her what happened!"

"But I—"

"Go!" Hazuki kept ordering and pushing. "There's still hope! Go get your girl!"

"I—" Natsuki tried to argue, but there was no point. "You're right! Okay, I'm going! See ya later!" And so, she made her own quick exit.

Hazuki was left behind to recover from what just happened. A large sigh escaped her. What a crazy start to the day.

Walking over to the sink to wash her hands, her reflection in the mirror stared back at her. Reflexively, she brought her hand up to her mouth, recalling exactly how Natsuki's soft lips felt on her own. She splashed some cold water onto her now-burning face, also silently screaming.

She was now also left with more questions than answers.

* * *

"What _are_ you wearing?"

In another setting, that question could be taken to be sexy, but Reina was currently teasing Kumiko's choice of attire for today.

"What?" Kumiko asked, looking down at the hoodie she was wearing. It was a Christmas present from Natsuki that was intended to be a gag gift, but Kumiko had ended up un-ironically liking it. It was a white hoodie covered in different colored dogs and stars in a variety of different colors like cyan, yellow, magenta, red, and green. "I think it's very fashionable. It's really soft, too! Feel it!"

Reina felt the fabric covering the other girl's arm. "It is, but…" The rush of excitement that she had felt when she spotted Kumiko in glasses this morning quickly turned into amusement at the sight of the silly hoodie. "It's really killing your sex appeal."

"Oh, I have sex appeal, huh?" Kumiko tried to suavely lean against her locker door, but only looked more like a dork in the process.

"Not anymore," Reina snickered. "You better not wear that when you come over on Saturday."

"Huh?" Kumiko blinked. "I'm coming over?"

"Yep," Reina nodded, looking smug. "I've decided that we're having another sleepover."

Kumiko hesitated, scratching the back of her head. "About that… I've already been committed to a babysitting job that night. I might be there for like 3 or 4 hours."

"How about you come over after that?"

"Ehh, I dunno… my parents'll want me to come right back home. I'll probably have homework too," Kumiko sighed. "We're reading this ginormous book in English class. Plus… math."

"You can bring it with you, then. We can do it together," Reina offered, and then instantly blushed from her word choice. "Your homework, I mean."

Kumiko raised an eyebrow. "I know what you meant." A devious grin crept up. "What did you think I thought you meant?"

"Nothing," Reina huffed, face still red.

"Reeeiiina~ What's going on in that cute little head of yours?"

"None of your business." A familiar figure coming around the corner then grabbed her attention. "Is that Natsuki? What is she doing?" she asked with a point, prompting Kumiko to turn around.

It was indeed Natsuki. She resembled one of those fast-moving zombie types you'd see in video games, quickly shambling closer with outstretched arms and a look of desperation on her face. "Kumiko!" she exclaimed.

"What's up—" Kumiko started, but then made an 'ack' noise after Natsuki dramatically draped herself over her, clinging for dear life.

"I've really done it. I've messed up this time," Natsuki mumbled into her friend's shoulder, not noticing Reina now slightly glaring at her. "It's all over."

"What happened?" she asked, greatly concerned, while peeling Natsuki off. Kumiko held her up and at a reasonable distance by her upper arms, also trying to keep her grounded. "Are you okay?"

"I'm trying to find Yuuko, but I don't know where she is," Natsuki attempted to explain, eyes wide and panicked. "She, uh, well… she overheard me kissing Hazuki in the bathroom."

That was the last thing Kumiko and Reina expected to hear this morning. Reina was dumbfounded, and clearly Kumiko was too, as she stared back at Natsuki, blinking in shock.

"WHAT?!" Kumiko finally exclaimed, startling the other two and the few students that happened to be lingering in the hall. Her grip on Natsuki's arms got tighter. "Why the hell did you kiss Hazuki?! Is this part of your stupid plan?!"

"No!" Natsuki yelped in reply. She had never seen Kumiko this angry before, and especially not directed at her. "I was doing her a favor! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"What is wrong with you?!"

"Plee-eee-aaase!" Natsuki begged, her voice cracking and affected by Kumiko now shaking her. "You've gotta help me! I've gotta find her and explain…"

Kumiko let go, removing her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation. She put them back on and said, "Reina. Do you know where Yuuko's 1st period class is?"

Reina didn't reply immediately, momentarily entranced by her girlfriend's sudden display of fury and what she just did with her glasses. "I do," she managed to snap out of it. Weird things sure did get her excited sometimes. "Should I go find her?"

"Please. Meet us in that hallway near the courtyard entrance, okay? Where the vending machines are." Reina nodded in response. Kumiko turned back to Natsuki, "You," she firmly gripped her arm again, "are coming with me. You are going to settle this nonsense."

"Okay," Natsuki squeaked out, slightly wincing in pain and fear.

* * *

"I don't think I'm mentally prepared for this."

"You'd better get prepared, then," Kumiko replied to Natsuki, arms crossed, but ready to grab onto Natsuki at any second if she attempted to run away. "I think I hear them coming."

Yuuko's voice got louder as they approached, "So what was so important that you had to show me, Reina—oh. It's you."

"It's me," Natsuki replied just as flatly.

"Alright, children," Reina spoke up, pushing Yuuko forward, thwarting the girl's attempt to cement herself to the floor. "I think it's time that you finally talked things out."

"Yep," Kumiko agreed, also pushing Natsuki forward until their stubborn friends were arms length apart. "Enough is enough."

"It's ridiculous."

"It's insane!"

"You two need to get better at communicating."

"You're driving us all crazy!"

"It's obvious you like each other."

"So just be honest for once!"

Natsuki and Yuuko shrunk down in shame at the lecturing, both looking like a pair of pets being scolded by their owners. Yuuko's bow flattened against her head like a pair of ears.

"And if you don't work this out, so help me…" Kumiko continued, trying to find words. She pointed at Natsuki. "I'm gonna beat you up!"

Natsuki snorted, amused at such a threat coming from her way-too-nice friend who was also wearing the silliest hoodie in existence. "Whatever you say, kid."

"I mean it!"

"Come on, Kumiko," Reina said, also amused, looping her arm into her girlfriend's. "Let's leave them be. You can't be late again to class, right?"

"Okay…" Kumiko relented, calmed down by Reina's touch. "You're right."

They started heading towards the direction of the classrooms, but called out one more thing in unison before leaving: "Work it out!"

And so, Natsuki and Yuuko were left alone in the empty and quiet entrance to the courtyard. Yuuko pointedly looked out the large glass windows, pretending to find the scenery interesting. The spot where they had their last conversation was right outside. Storm clouds seemed to be rolling in.

"There go the perfect couple," Natsuki awkwardly joked to break the silence.

"Indeed," Yuuko replied.

Another long pause.

"Yuuko—"

"Natsuki—"

Awkward chuckles escaped both of them after speaking at the same time. "You first," Natsuki offered.

"No, go ahead."

Natsuki took a deep breath, preparing herself. "About, uh… what happened… with me and Hazuki. It was, uh, platonic. She said she's been confused lately and wanted to kiss a girl to see if she'd like it, and, well, uh. That's what that was about. I don't like her that way." Yuuko remained quiet. "I mean it. I, uh… Damnit! This wasn't how my plan was supposed to go!" she whined.

"Your 'plan'?"

"Yeah," Natsuki admitted, a bit of red coloring her cheeks. It felt silly to say it out loud. "I was working on this plan to 'woo' you. I dressed up all nice and started fixing up my car… y'know, to take you on dates and stuff…" This was getting more and more embarrassing by the minute.

Yuuko let out a laugh. "You thought that crappy car of yours would win me over?"

"I was trying, okay!" Natsuki started turning redder. "You were always complaining about stuff about me, so… I thought if I fixed it, then you'd like me more… y'know, like how you like Kaori…"

Yuuko winced. "About that—"

"And I'm sorry I didn't call after that party!" Natsuki blurt out. Being honest was hard, so she might as well get it all out while the ball of courage was still rolling. "I was too nervous to, cause I didn't want to look desperate, but then you didn't call me, so I thought you didn't like me like that, like you were just messing around or something for fun, and then things got all awkward, and I didn't know what to say, and—"

"Natsuki," Yuuko interrupted, a playful smile crossing her face. "Just shut your mouth and look pretty."

Natsuki's attempt at a response was immediately silenced when Yuuko grabbed her by the cheeks and firmly kissed her.

"My turn to talk," Yuuko stated after breaking the kiss, effectively leaving the other girl in a quietly flustered stupor. Her hands moved down to rest on Natsuki's shoulders. "I'm the one who's sorry. It's true that I have a… 'thing' for Kaori, but there's no point in telling her how I feel. I know I'd get rejected."

"So…" Natsuki frowned, trying to stay composed. Her throat felt unreasonably tight, like a hot piece of coal sitting was above her churning stomach. "Because you can't have Kaori, you're gonna settle for me?"

"That's not it at all!" Yuuko cried, clenching harder on the fabric underneath her fingers. "It was just infatuation and admiration—like you said, a silly little schoolgirl crush. That's all it's ever been. I don't like Kaori how I like you!"

"Really…?" Natsuki quietly replied, hopeful, but still not convinced.

"Really!" Yuuko's voice cracked. "And I'm sorry I said that we weren't good for each other… I thought that because we bicker so much, but… it's fun to fight with you."

Natsuki couldn't help but let out a laugh, albeit a strained one. "Is it?"

"Yes… I can't stop thinking about you, and wanting to spend more time with you…" Hot tears began to run down her face.

"Hey," Natsuki soothed. "Don't cry… I can't stand to see pretty girls cry…"

"I missed you."

At that, Natsuki held Yuuko close, and admitted, "I missed you too."

The two stood there for a few minutes in a tight embrace, quietly crying from guilt, but also from the relief that their feelings were finally out in the open.

"C'mon, stop cryin', ya dope," Natsuki shakily laughed, wiping away some of Yuuko's tears with the pad of her thumb.

"You're crying too."

"Am not," she playfully lied, unable to deny it. "But it's all your fault. You're lucky you're cute."

Yuuko tried to pout, but an embarrassed smile crept up instead. Tentatively, she raised a hand up to Natsuki's cheek. "Natsuki…" she started. "I really am sorry… I should've been more honest…"

"Me too," Natsuki quietly responded, leaning into the touch. "Let's work on communicating better, okay?"

"Okay," was the quick agreement. "You are my girlfriend now, after all."

"I am?"

"Of course!" Yuuko moved her hands to her hips, standing proudly.

"Who said I wanted to be your girlfriend?" Natsuki teased, easily slipping back into their usual dynamic.

" _You_ did," Yuuko smirked. "And you should feel honored! It's not everyday someone gets asked to be the great Yuuko Yoshikawa's girlfriend."

Natsuki loudly laughed at the other girl's haughty attitude. It was one of the things she had grown quite fond of. The image was made even funnier by Yuuko's obviously tear-stained cheeks and still-flustered appearance. "Yes, I'm quite honored. I suppose I'll be your girlfriend… on one condition."

"What?"

"That you be my girlfriend too."

"That I can do," Yuuko shyly smiled back, stepping forward to wrap her arms around Natsuki's neck. "Hey…"

"Hm?"

"Can I kiss you again?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Natsuki fondly chuckled before meeting Yuuko's lips with her own.

One kiss turned into many—tender, but also needy, and laced with longing. This was another thing they had missed.

"Since we're being honest…" Natsuki shyly spoke up after their mini-makeout session. "For the record, I don't think your ribbon is dumb. Actually, I think it's kinda cute. It makes you look like a little bunny rabbit."

Yuuko stared back at her, then erupted into loud giggles. "Oh no! I didn't know my girlfriend was such a giant _dork_."

"Hey." Natsuki couldn't even be offended due to feeling too giddy over hearing the words 'my girlfriend.' "Takes one to know one," she lamely shot back with a goofy smile.

Yuuko kept giggling. "Come on, let's get out of here. I think 1st period started forever ago. Let's skip for today."

"Ah, a woman after my own heart."

The new couple walked out of the school hand-in-hand, feeling like they were the only ones in the world.

* * *

It was currently an impromptu study hall in Kumiko and Reina's 2nd period class. Kumiko was trying to focus on the math homework assigned from her previous class, but instead kept twirling around her pencil and tapping her foot. "Do you think everything worked out?" she whispered to Reina.

Reina glanced up from the novel she was reading to whisper back, "I hope so."

"Maybe I should text Natsuki."

Reina nodded in agreement, but also warned, "Don't let the teacher see you."

Kumiko slowly leaned down to grab her phone out of her backpack. Her attempts at being inconspicuous were never great, but thankfully their teacher was distracted with some very intense crocheting. To her surprise, there were already messages waiting for her.

 _'Dude!'_ Natsuki had sent. _'I just realized that I kissed two girls in one day! Asuka'll be so proud!'_

Kumiko shook her head in amusement. "Sounds like they kissed and made up."

"I'm glad," Reina smiled.

"Me too. I don't think I can handle much more drama for a while."

"Me neither."

Pleased and relieved, and not wanting a scolding from their teacher, the pair went back to focusing on their homework and reading.

A low rumble of thunder sounded from overhead. Outside, a cold rain began to fall.

* * *

a/n: And so, the incredibly frustrating Natsuuko arc concludes. Lesson learned, everyone: communication is important. But it's not over yet. There's still another arc to go… Thanks for sticking with me this far. See you in the next one!


	18. Troubled Tranquility

a/n: Hey, it's another chapter in less than a month's time! I'm shocked.

I want to correct a thing I said in my last author's note: I described this fic as having one 'arc' to go when the phrase I meant was 'third act.' There's a few mini arcs within it. I have the general events outlined, but I'm not sure exactly how long it'll end up being since inspiration for scenes always strike me. When I started, my original outline was 10 chapters long, then 15, then 20… but it probably won't be over in 20 chapters. We'll see. Either way, this madness will probably surpass 100k words so I can wrap up any loose threads and finish exploring what I've set out to do in this story. So for those of you who were sad to see this end, it's not approaching just yet.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

It was fun but always risky business skipping school. Especially when you had a crazy mutt who always welcomed you home.

"Hello to you too," Natsuki responded to the happy barking, shutting the front door behind them. "Yuta! Hush!"

"Oh, I love dogs!" Yuuko squealed, crouching down to give Yuta much-desired pets. He always welcomed the affection.

"Shh," Natsuki gently hushed Yuuko as well. "We have to be quiet. My mom's asleep. She works the night shift."

"Sorry," she lowered her volume. "But he's just so cute~ Yes you are! You're a friendly little guy, aren't you?"

Natsuki smiled at the sight of her new girlfriend doting on her dog, glad that she apparently was an animal lover too. "C'mon," she began to lead the way, "my room's this way."

"Oh, you have a kitty too?" Yuuko excitedly (but quietly) asked at the sight of Rikka stalking around in the hallway. "Is it friendly?" Not waiting for an answer, she scooped up the feline in her arms. Rikka seemed confused at this level of affection from a stranger, but didn't protest. "So soft!"

Natsuki shook her head in amusement. "I get the feeling that you like my pets more than me." Reaching for the doorknob to her room, she paused for a moment. "Can you wait out here for a second?"

"Oh, sure."

With lightning speed, Natsuki darted into her room to scoop some unwashed piles of clothes off the floor and threw them into her closet. Along with the various bags full of empty cans of soda and energy drinks. She also straightened up the disheveled sheets on her bed.

When she opened the door again, it was clear that Yuuko had heard her scrambling around judging by her teasing smirk. "Did you just throw all your trash in your closet?"

"No!" Natsuki denied, trying to play it cool. Busted. "Come on in."

Yuuko complied after placing Rikka back down on the floor. The cat quickly scampered off. As Yuuko entered the room, her gaze danced all about, curious of the contents inside. "Hm. It smells better than I expected in here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Natsuki asked as she flopped down on her futon, leaning on some pillows against the wall. It made her a bit nervous having Yuuko doing such an obvious appraisal of her living space.

"Nothing," Yuuko lightly replied, still looking around.

It wasn't a particularly large room, but the space was utilized quite well. It had to be, what with Natsuki's impressive game and music collections. They were organized in ways that made sense to Natsuki in tall shelves against the wall opposite the futon. A small desk sat in the corner. The walls were covered in various posters, so much so that it was beginning to get hard to see what color the walls were painted.

There was another creature that also resided in there, chilling in an aquarium underneath the window. "Oh, you have a turtle too?" Yuuko asked, excited about this discovery as well.

"Yeah, it's starting to become a zoo in this house," Natsuki joked. She had ended up taking in the turtle after a friend of hers had to move into an apartment building that didn't allow exotic pets. Yuta was found as an stray puppy. Rikka was spotted in a shelter after being there for almost a year due to potential owners being put-off by her missing eye and peculiar demeanor. Natsuki really was a sucker for animals in need. "His name is Ton-chan."

"Ton-chan? That's a weird name." Yuuko sat down next to the other girl, scooting as close as possible. It only made Natsuki more nervous (but in a good way). "Your room is very you."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Maybe. Oh, but those shelves really need dusting, and you need to take out the trash, and—"

"Okay, okay! Geez, the first time I invite you in here, and you're already nagging me."

"As you know, I am a woman of high standards," Yuuko haughtily replied. "I can't have my girlfriend living and looking all slovenly."

"So I already don't meet your standards," Natsuki tried to quip, but some sadness crept up in her voice.

It was not lost on Yuuko. "You do," she said gently. "Want to know something I really like about you?"

"What?"

"You try to act all punk, but underneath that, you're a huge softie," Yuuko teased, poking Natsuki in the chest. "You really care about your friends—and your pets too. I can tell."

"Meanwhile, _you_ act all punk and you _are_ punk."

"Is _that_ a compliment?"

"It is. You dope," Natsuki teased, tentatively reaching her arm around Yuuko's back to hold her close. "Hey… so you really do like me, right?"

"Of course I do, you dork," Yuuko immediately replied, resting her head on the other girl's shoulder. "I wouldn't have kissed you or asked you to be my girlfriend if I didn't. Gosh! You also need to work on that self-esteem of yours."

"Maybe you can help me, then."

"Well… I'm not perfect either."

"Oh, trust me, I know. You're stubborn, and loud, and full of yourself, and a general pain in the ass—"

"Hey!"

"—but you're really sweet, and a really good person too." Natsuki started giggling. "And you're cute when you blush."

"You're blushing too, you jerk," Yuuko pouted, leaning against Natsuki as if it was where she belonged. She let out a small yawn. "I'm tired…"

"Up all night thinking about me?" The question was answered with a light slap to her leg. "Ow."

"Don't flatter yourself," she retorted with another yawn. The usual fiery spark in her words had simmered down due to her fatigue. "Natsuki…" she still tried to talk, "I really am sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"It's okay," Natsuki muttered into Yuuko's hair. It smelled like vanilla. "No need to apologize anymore."

"…Can we stay like this for a while?"

"As long as you want."

The two cuddled against each other for some time, lulled into a dreamlike state by the sounds of the rain pitter-pattering against the window.

Natsuki had almost drifted off, but was distracted by mumbling noises from her now-sleeping companion. "Hm?"

"Natsuki…" was the soft mutter.

"Yeah?" No response. Natsuki scoffed in amusement. "Great," she said to herself. "Don't tell me that you talk in your sleep. That's gonna get annoying…"

Some more mutterings continued before a clear phrase escaped, "…I love you…"

That was almost too much for Natsuki's already-nervous heart to take. She stared back at Yuuko's (extremely cute, she noted) sleeping face in shock, her jaw dropped.

She was going to pretend she didn't hear that. It was way too embarrassing. Even if it made her feel extremely happy inside.

Containing her excited giggles, she softly said, "Hey, Yuuko?" to double-check if the other girl was actually asleep. No response again. What a relief. Things could've gotten way too awkward.

But she made sure to reply before finally dozing off.

"…Me too."

* * *

Kumiko picked up her instrument from its usual spot in the storage room. "Maybe I should take this home more often…"

"Talking to yourself again, kid?"

"Ack." Kumiko was jolted out of her brief reprieve by Natsuki's sudden appearance. She hadn't seen her since yesterday morning's incident. It was decided that from now on, Kumiko and Yuuko would be the go-to rides for their girlfriends. It was a little sad that she'd be seeing Natsuki even less now, but she supposed that it was the natural order of things. "You seem to be in a good mood," she smirked.

"Yeah, well…" Natsuki sheepishly scratched her cheek. "Things are going good for me for once. My plan worked perfectly!"

Kumiko flattened her eyebrows, regarding her friend with the most unimpressed of expressions. "Your 'plan' was useless."

"Yeah, I know," Natsuki laughed, picking up her own euphonium. "Thanks for your help."

"Sure thing. I think I'm just as happy as you."

"Doubtful. Hey… so how's _your_ plan going?"

"My plan?"

"Y'know," Natsuki deviously grinned, lightly elbowing Kumiko in the side. "Your plan to get in the pants of the Ice Queen Kousaka."

In typical Kumiko fashion, she flushed red and started blabbering, "What the—don't call her that—and she normally wears skirts—and I don't have a plan! Shut up!"

Natsuki laughed at the ridiculous reaction. "Are you saying you _don't_ wanna get laid?"

"…I never said that…"

"Well, get on that, then! Seriously, if I were in your shoes, I would've plowed that by now."

"…How would you be able to 'plow' it?"

"Oh, I'd figure something out. Don't underestimate me."

Another chipper voice spoke up at the door, "Whatcha guys talking about?"

Kumiko jumped at the sight of Hazuki. "Nothing!" she squawked, pushing her way past the snickering Natsuki. "C'mon, we gotta start practice!"

"Oh, okay," Hazuki replied, quite perplexed, as Kumiko speed-walked to their classroom. "What was that about?" she asked Natsuki.

"Ah, don't worry about it, Hazuki."

For some reason, hearing Natsuki use her first name gave her a funny feeling in her chest. It was a fluttering similar to a hummingbird trying to take flight. "O-okay, I won't," Hazuki cleared her throat. Unable to contain her curiosity, she also asked, "So how did things go with Yuuko? Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Natsuki tried not to giggle, looking sheepish again. "We're dating now."

The tiny bird soaring inside Hazuki suddenly hit a window pane. "Oh… really?"

"Yep! Oh, but keep it on the down-low, alright?"

"Uh, sure. No problem…"

"Actually, I kinda owe you one. In a way, you helped me out!"

"I did…?"

"Sure did, kid! Anyway, grab your tuba and let's get to it. Don't wanna keep the Empress Asuka waiting."

"Oh, okay…"

Hazuki stayed behind a for a few moments in the storage room. Dust floated through the air, illuminated by the slight sunlight peeking in through the window. A very stubborn spider had made the windowsill its home for a while.

Hazuki lightly smacked her cheeks, trying to clear her own cobwebs. She began rolling her instrument to practice, feeling especially grateful that the case had wheels. For another strange reason, it was like all her strength had left her. She should be happy for her friend, not feeling like… whatever this was.

"What is wrong with me?"

* * *

Hazuki was surprised to find Asuka waiting for _her_ after practice. "Might I have a word with you?" was the immediate question asked of her. She bid a quick farewell to Midori before being pulled aside, unable to protest even if she wanted to.

"What troubles you, young tuba?" was the next question, asked with an even tone of deliberate pleasantry and professionalism.

Hazuki tightly gripped the straps of her backpack. Asuka scared her a little bit. It wasn't just her beauty or her height that intimidated her. It was also the unsettling state of never knowing what was going on behind those enigmatic blue eyes. Asuka often resembled an animal of prey, always stalking and slithering about.

"I… don't know," Hazuki replied after a moment, feeling like a baby mongoose being cornered by a cobra.

Asuka thoughtfully hummed, adjusting her glasses. "Is it due to matters of the heart?"

"What? No way! Why would you think that?"

"I suppose that's where my mind goes nowadays. Kumiko and Natsuki's playing instantly got better once their own 'situations' got resolved, after all."

"I don't have any romance going on, so that can't be it…"

Asuka sighed. "This is why I don't bother with relationships. They only get in the way of more important matters."

"Huh? I thought you were dating Kaori?"

"Oh, no, no, no," Asuka flippantly waved a hand around. "I can't let myself be tied down by anything here, not if I plan on getting as far away as possible." Pretending like she let that slip, she held one finger up in a 'ssh'-ing gesture. "Oh, but let's keep that between you and me."

Hazuki nodded, but was not prepared to handle the weight of this obviously important information thrown at her.

"Regardless," Asuka continued, "remember that you _are_ playing on stage this year, so you need to focus. Tubas are there to support the rest of us, but if you need your own support, I suggest reaching out." Without waiting for a reply, she concluded, "Now if you'll excuse me, I must be off. Adios, amiga!"

"See ya tomorrow," Hazuki said goodbye with a wave. Soon enough, Asuka was out of her sights, having vanished to places unknown. "…What the heck was that about?"

* * *

Shuuichi started to pay extra attention to Hazuki after he learned that she was apparently crushing on him. Since he sat slightly behind and a row away from her in their biology class, it was the perfect time to observe her.

However, throughout the whole week—it was now Friday—Hazuki seemed to lack her usual energy. The normally talkative girl didn't seem too interested in chatting with her neighbors. She also hadn't been raising her hand in class as she often did to give answers (even if she didn't know them, but she always tried her best).

Shuuichi frowned, now worried. Hazuki was way too cute to look so sad! Was she sick or something? Maybe asking her out and taking her someplace nice would be the best thing to lift her spirits!

One problem, however: Shuuichi had no idea how to do that.

* * *

"Bros!" Shuuichi called out to the group of girls about to head out into the school parking lot. Kumiko and Natsuki stopped to turn around. Reina and Yuuko stopped walking as well. He huffed a bit as he jogged to catch up. "I need your help!"

"With what?" Kumiko asked.

"Well…" Shuuichi raised one hand up to speak in a hushed voice, "I was thinking about asking Hazuki out, but I've got no idea how. Can you give me some advice?"

Kumiko and Natsuki exchanged glances, both of them realizing that they were just as inept. "Uhh…"

"If I may," Yuuko spoke up, pushing Natsuki aside to take control of the situation. "Tsukamoto, these two are the last ones you should ask about that. They are absolutely _useless._ "

"Hey," Natsuki frowned, but couldn't argue.

"Aw," Kumiko quietly said. Reina comfortingly patted her on the back, but nodded in agreement.

"Here's what you do," Yuuko continued, demonstratively pointing right at him. "Don't overthink it. Don't make a big deal about it. Pull her aside and flat-out ask nicely, 'Hey, want to go out sometime'? Make it clear that it's a date, too!"

Shuuichi let out a little squeak, now intimidated. Reina already terrified him, so this was yet another petite girl to add to the 'Don't Mess With' list. Actually, most trumpet players seemed scary. Except Kaori. She was nice. "Okay… so where should I take her? Someplace fancy?"

"Useless!" Yuuko declared, exaggeratedly throwing her hands up. "It doesn't have to be fancy. Ask her where she'd like to go. Lunch, movie, the park, wherever—it's not that hard!" She turned to yell at the eupho players, "It's not that hard!"

Kumiko clung to Reina in fear, but Natsuki put up a fight, "Excuse me, princess! If it's not so hard, then why didn't you—"

"Anyway, that's how you do it," Yuuko concluded, interrupting and ignoring her girlfriend. More gently, she added, "And don't worry about being rejected. I'm sure she'll be super excited to go out with you."

"For some reason," Kumiko snarked.

"Alright, I'll do that then!" Shuuichi nodded fervently, filled with new confidence and determination. "Thanks a lot!"

"Now if you'll excuse us," Reina spoke up, "Kumiko and I are going to get smoothies."

"We are?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Okay," Kumiko instantly complied, letting herself be pulled away. Apparently, whatever Reina wanted, she usually got.

"I want to get going too, Natsuki," Yuuko ordered, tugging on her flannel sleeve. "I want to play with your dog again."

"Yes, princess," she lazily replied with a sideways grin. She paused to say one more thing to Shuuichi before leaving, "Here's another piece of advice, bro. Don't let yourself get whipped like we are."

He took the wise words to heart.

* * *

"Ah, nothing like celebratory smoothies!"

"What are we celebrating?" Reina asked, putting her straw into her drink.

"Getting through another week?" Kumiko took a sip of her smoothie, then placed it back in the cupholder. "But mainly dealing with the Natsuki and Yuuko Situation™."

"Did you just say 'trademark'?"

"That's what we called it, didn't we?"

"I don't recall adding a trademark symbol," Reina teased.

Kumiko leaned her seat back, taking the time to lay down and relax. The car radio was playing a low volume. She closed her eyes and let out a long breath, letting the weight of the week off her chest. After a moment, she asked, "How come you didn't want to sit inside?"

Reina fidgeted with the cup's lid. "Because every time we go in, someone working there always flirts with you. Like that girl with the pink hair or that guy with the eyebrow piercing…"

Kumiko opened one eye to peek at the other girl's pouting expression, and snickered. "Ah, you don't have to worry about random dudes flirting with me. I'm not even interested in them."

"So I need to be worried when a girl flirts with you?" Reina asked in her familiar calm but dangerous tone, similar to the quiet in the eye of a storm.

"Erk—that's not what I meant!" Kumiko yelped, both eyes now opened in panic.

Reina smirked, making a self-satisfied sounding 'hmph' sound. Following Kumiko's lead, she leaned her seat back as well to lay beside the other girl, even though there were armrests between them. "I've been thinking…" she started more quietly, "I still haven't figured out whether I'm a lesbian or bisexual."

Kumiko's half-lidded eyes followed the trail of a raindrop running down the windshield. "Is it bothering you?"

"A little bit, but only because I like to have myself figured out. But since I'm with you, wouldn't that make me a lesbian?"

"Not necessarily. If you're bi, you'd be bi no matter who you're with."

"Hm… Clearly I need to do some more research."

"It seems like you're always doing research on this stuff. What else have you looked up lately?"

"…Nothing."

Kumiko laughed. "There you go, looking all embarrassed again. I really wonder what pops in your head sometimes."

"I do too, but then it immediately comes out of your mouth."

"Very funny."

"…Would you still love me if I was bi?"

"Of course I would. I'd accept whatever you are… Um, though, if you said you were straight, I would be very confused."

"I can assure you that I am definitely not straight," Reina replied. They both laughed.

* * *

Kumiko delicately set down Reina's trumpet case on the floor in the foyer, having chivalrously lent a helping hand. "See you on Sunday, then?" she asked.

Reina less-than-gingerly tossed her backpack onto the floor to quickly embrace Kumiko. "I wish I could see you tomorrow…"

Kumiko ran a comforting hand up and down Reina's spine. "You'll be fine without me for a day, baby."

"Of course I will," she tried to reply confidently. "But… how come you can't come over beforehand? Or after you finish babysitting?"

Kumiko softly sighed. "To be honest, I kinda want some time to myself. And I'm gonna be super tired after I babysit the Sakamoto kids. They always wear me out. And I've got homework…"

"…Okay," Reina said, but only clung tighter, wrapping her arms around Kumiko's shoulders.

Kumiko chuckled. "Geez, you're so clingy." She kissed the side of Reina's head. "So needy."

Normally, Reina didn't mind (and even enjoyed) when Kumiko teased her—but for some reason, those particular words hurt today. She buried her face further in Kumiko's shoulder, fighting against the moisture pooling up in her eyes.

"Reina?"

"Am not," she muttered.

Kumiko kept chuckling. "You're silly." She stepped back, but still held on to Reina's hands. "I gotta get going."

"I know." Reina managed to compose herself, not wanting to worry her already-anxious girlfriend. "See you Sunday, then."

"Yep. I'll text you later, okay?" Reina nodded in response, and they shared a quick kiss. "Bye."

"I love you."

"Love you too," Kumiko softly smiled, looking at Reina in that way that always made her feel special.

The sound of the front door closing loudly echoed throughout the house. Reina sighed, taking a seat on the bottom step of the stairs.

Needy. Clingy. High-maintenance. Easily jealous. Possessive.

Kumiko had pointed out these flaws of hers in good humor (and lack of filter), but seemed to accept them with grace and the utmost patience. However, Reina was concerned that patience might one day run out.

The air around her was still. Her parents weren't home. That was nothing unusual. They were very busy people, after all. She had grown used to the solitude out of necessity.

So when had she started feeling so lonely?


	19. Rivers in the Desert

Reina was browsing on her computer when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in," she said absentmindedly.

Instead of one of her parents, it was someone else. "It's-a me, Kumiko!"

Reina was startled by the unexpected (and dorky) entrance. "Kumiko? You're here early," she noted, glancing at the clock to make sure she hadn't lost track of time—and she hadn't, it was only 9am. The plan was to start the day at 11:30am and go get lunch.

"Yep," Kumiko replied, puffing up proudly. "I thought I'd show up earlier so we can spend more of the day together. The movie you want to see has a time that still works. Was that okay?"

"Of course," Reina responded, immediately getting out of her chair to give Kumiko a hug and kiss. "I missed you." A small contented sigh escaped her, like being wrapped in a fresh blanket right out of the dryer. "You look cute today."

"Thanks," Kumiko replied, returning the embrace. Her outfit of choice today was a black and gray striped sweater underneath a green bomber jacket, paired with some faded skinny jeans. It was a style that combined boyishness and femininity in a way that Reina found quite aesthetically pleasing. "So do you," she added with a snicker at Reina's bunny-print pajama pants, fuzzy slippers, and… "Wait a minute. Is that one of my hoodies? I wondered where it went!"

Reina's warm contentment instantly turned into hot embarrassment. "…No," she obviously lied. So what if she had packed one of her girlfriend's hoodies in her bag when she wasn't looking? It was comfy, and smelled like her, and—okay, that did sound a bit weird. "I bet you think I'm some kind of creep."

"Not at all," Kumiko kept snickering. "Just when I think you can't get any cuter, you prove me wrong."

"I'm not cute," she huffed the standard response. "Since you're here, let me get ready, then."

"Alrighty."

Reina walked to her closet door, pulling it open and pulling the hoodie off. The tank top she had on underneath was about to join it on the floor before she realized that something was a bit strange. "…Kumiko."

"Yes?" she replied, way-too-innocently, now seated on the bed.

"Please leave."

"Aw, what? But _you_ said one time, and I quote, 'we're both girls. I don't mind if you _strip_ in front of me'—"

"Get out!"

* * *

Per Reina's suggestion, the pair were at a locally-owned breakfast bistro. With its small size and cute decor, the building radiated pure warmth—but that was only on the inside. It was a popular place for breakfast-goers, especially on a Sunday morning, so busy that Kumiko and Reina had to wait outside for their table to be called. Kumiko (and her stomach) briefly complained, but Reina insisted that it would be worth it. (It had good reviews on Yelp, after all, as she had researched.)

But after a few minutes, it was Reina that began whining. "Kumikooo," she said, literally shaking in her boots. "I'm cold."

"Geez, Reina…" Kumiko lightly sighed, a bit of her breath visible in the air. "You took forever to get ready, and then you didn't even dress warm enough? Why didn't you wear that scarf I gave you?"

"It doesn't go with my outfit." Reina would've playfully curtsied in her cute blue floral-print dress, but wanted to keep her arms wrapped around for warmth. The black sweater and tights she also had on weren't enough to ward off the weather either. Around her neck hung the necklace that Kumiko had gotten her for Christmas, but that had already become a standard part of her attire.

"I can't deny that you look cute, but…" Kumiko shook her head in amused exasperation, leaning against the brick wall behind her. Unzipping the front of her jacket, she opened her arms. "C'mere," she told Reina, who jumped at the invitation. The jacket couldn't zip back up around the two of them, so Kumiko did her best with a hug to act as a shield from the chilly air. "Better?"

"Much."

"Good," Kumiko responded softly, resting her cheek on the top of her girlfriend's head. Reina's warmth helped her feel better too. Not only was she hungry, but she was also tired. It was hard to keep her eyes open. She probably could've fallen asleep right there standing up…

Until Reina not-so-sneakily snaked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. Kumiko jumped in surprise, making a strange 'bweh' noise in response. "Reeiiina," she now whined, but with embarrassment. "We're in public…"

"My hands are cold too," Reina tried to reason. "And it's fine. You're against the wall, so no one can see." The smugness in her voice continued to rise, "So you wouldn't mind this in private?"

"Th-that's not what I meant…"

A few minutes later, 'Kousaka, party of 2' was called out by the host. "Oh, that's us. I guess I'll take my hands out of your pants now," Reina confirmed, removing her hands as slowly as possible, effectively feeling the other girl up.

Kumiko continued to grumble in embarrassment. "You're such a tease."

She was going to get Reina back for that later.

* * *

Happy and full, the couple then made their way to the book store. Kumiko wasn't yet finished with the book that she bought a month ago, but couldn't resist Reina's pleading to come inside so she could peruse for something new for her collection.

Again, Kumiko was feeling sleepy. The comforting smell of pages and coffee combined with the quiet of the store could soothe anyone's frazzled nerves. Despite being quite physically tired last night, it had been difficult for her to get to sleep. Anxiety was such a pain…

"I'm going to the restroom," Reina told her.

"M'kay," she replied, eyes glossing over some manga pages. But her ears soon perked up at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Well, if is isn't my protégé!" Asuka cheered, far too maniacally energetic as usual. "What brings you out before noon on a Sunday? I can't get you to wake up for _me_ that early…"

"Very funny," Kumiko deadpanned, stifling a yawn so Asuka's point wouldn't be proven (and also ignoring the innuendo). "I'm on a date with Reina."

"Ahh, that explains it. It looks like you need some coffee, though."

"Coffee makes me too nervous."

"Well, get _something!_ You'll need some _energy_ for later, am I right?" Asuka smirked, closing in to elbow Kumiko in the side.

Again with the innuendos. "What are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at is… well, if I'm not mistaken, since you told me, today is an anniversary, is it not?"

"It is."

"And anniversaries are quite important."

"They are."

"Remember when I said that your playing seemed hesitant? Like a wild beast ready to escape?"

"I do, but I had no idea what you're talking about, and I still don't," Kumiko said, glancing away. Judging by the smirk on Asuka's face, it was obvious that she had seen right through the lie.

"If you say so," Asuka mirthfully replied, fully closing the personal space to drape an arm over Kumiko's shoulders. _"Ganbatte!"_ she wished with a thumbs-up.

"What the heck's that mean?"

"It means 'good luck'," she translated with a wink. "If you know what I mean."

Reina loudly cleared her throat from behind them, having returned. "Good morning, Asuka," she politely greeted, but there was an edge to her voice.

Asuka jumped back dramatically, as if she were afraid of being nicked by the sharpness of Reina's words. "Good morning!" she replied. "Well, I'll make my exit now. Enjoy your day~ Adios, lovebirds!"

"What was that about?" Reina asked after Asuka completely vanished.

Kumiko sighed, now more fatigued. "Just Asuka being Asuka. Don't worry about it."

Reina contemplatively hummed. "Can I be honest? There's… something about Asuka that I don't entirely trust. It's hard to tell what she's thinking, or what her motivations are."

"True," Kumiko agreed, placing the book back on the shelf. "She can be an enigma."

Reina also tightly clung to Kumiko's left arm with both of hers. "I also don't like that she has her hands all over you all the time."

Kumiko awkwardly laughed. "C'mon, she's like a sister to me, remember? You don't need to get jealous over that. Maybe reign that in a little bit."

"…Is it really that awful?"

"Well… I mean, I'm flattered, but there's no need to get yourself all worked up all the time."

"I just… don't want anyone taking you away from me…"

"You might have to share."

"I don't like sharing."

"You're such a little kid sometimes."

"I am not." Reina's hand slowly fell to grab onto Kumiko's, which she gave a tentative squeeze. "Stop teasing me," she quietly pleaded. "I'm being serious."

Shit, Kumiko cringed. There went her terrible personality again, threatening to possibly ruin the day. "I'm sorry, love," she soothed, pulling Reina close into a hug, not caring that they were in public. The awful idea that she had upset her wonderful girlfriend took more precedence over worrying about the opinions of random passerby. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Well, you did," Reina muttered into Kumiko's chest. "You keep calling me needy, and clingy, and high-maintenance, like I'm such a terrible person—"

"You're not terrible, Reina. I am," Kumiko interrupted, trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry. I was only teasing… I didn't mean to hurt your feelings…" She lifted up Reina's chin to make eye contact. "Honest. It's just… like I said, I don't want you getting all worked up and worried about things like other girls 'taking me away.' I'm all yours."

"Really?" Reina asked, taking a shaky breath, before answering her own question, "That's right! You _are_ mine. Just like I'm yours."

"Exactly," Kumiko nodded, glad to see the spark of determination instead of the glimmer of tears back in those eyes. "I know what'll make you feel better… Want me to buy you something? Like an ice cream? Or a coffee drink? Or a present?"

"Seriously, I'm _not_ a little kid," Reina pouted, but not offended. "I don't need a present. Come on," she tugged Kumiko forward by her sleeves, "we should get going or we'll miss the movie."

On their way out of the store, however, a table full of adorable stuffed animals got Reina's attention. In particular, there was a fluffy white dog wearing a red ribbon…

In the end, Kumiko did end up buying something.

* * *

"Since you treated me to breakfast, maybe I should buy your ticket," Kumiko suggested as they stood in line at the movie theater.

"No," Reina argued. "You already got me Yuki."

"Yuki?"

"That's, uh, what I decided to call my new dog. Anyway! Don't worry about it. My parents gave me some money."

"Oh, in that case, maybe you should treat me again," Kumiko grinned mischievously. "Your parents are loaded, after all."

Reina lightly swatted her arm. "They're not 'loaded.'"

Tickets purchased and ready to head into the showing, it was Kumiko's turn to be captivated by something: the snack bar. The smell of popcorn was drawing her in, the popping of kernels calling her name like a siren's song…

Reina giggled at her ravenous girlfriend, not surprised by this in the slightest. "I'll treat you to some snacks."

"I love you, baby."

Considering the time of day and the movie being near the end of its run, the showing was quite sparse. "Can we raise up the arm rest so we can cuddle?" Reina asked after they took their seats. "There's hardly anyone in here, and it's pretty dark, so…"

Kumiko smiled, charmed by how hard Reina was making it for her to say no. "Of course." Instantly, the arm rest went up and Reina settled herself against Kumiko's side as close and comfortable as possible. Kumiko wrapped an arm around her back, holding her gently. "You sure are affectionate today." Before her girlfriend could take that the wrong way, she added, "I'm not complaining."

"I missed you."

Kumiko frowned. There it was again. Hoping to lighten the mood, she said, "You're so silly." Reina didn't reply, instead resting her head on Kumiko's shoulder, who kissed the top of it. "I missed you too."

Both of their attentions were grabbed when the bombardment of ads and movie previews began. Each trailer that played was accompanied with their commentary: 'that looks lame,' 'that looks interesting,' 'they're making _another_ one?' and 'man, they're really out of ideas. Emojis?'

Thirty minutes into the movie, Kumiko's eyes started glazing over again. It wasn't due to fatigue this time, but the fact that this movie was downright _boring_. However, she was willing to put up with it, because Reina wanted to see it. It apparently had good reviews from renowned critics, impressed by the 'classy atmosphere' of the film, whatever that meant. Yawn. Also, she had already finished her food, so there went that distraction.

Man, she really was whipped. Not only had Reina chosen where to eat, and where to go, and what movie to see, but even where to sit. Not that Kumiko was complaining one bit, having happily followed her up to the top row in the theater, since it was the perfect place for some… _payback_.

"Reina," she got her attention by whispering near her ear, unable to contain her boredom any longer. "Don't think I didn't notice that you wanted to sit up here in the make-out row."

"The make-out row?" Reina repeated back, eyes sparkling from the reflection of the images playing on screen. "I have no idea what you mean."

"I think you do," Kumiko retorted, seeing right through the feigned innocence.

"Shh," Reina raised a finger to hush her before pointing at and turning her attention back to the movie. "I think it's getting to a good part."

"Oh, is it?"

It started off innocently enough. Kumiko continued to hold Reina close, tickling her back and playing with her hair. Stubborn as ever, Reina tried to pretend that this was not affecting her, but Kumiko could hear her breaths deepen… and feel her obvious squirming after beginning to kiss her neck.

"Mm, come on," Reina kept trying to put up a fight. "Don't you want to watch the movie?"

"You're way more interesting," Kumiko replied, turning Reina's face towards her to try and kiss her lips.

But Reina moved away at the last moment, still playing hard to get. "I'd hope so."

"Why are you such a tease?"

"Why are you such a pervert?"

"It's all your fault… for being so damn pretty all the time."

"I take no responsibility for your depravity—mmph," her words were halted by Kumiko's lips on hers.

Kumiko didn't press harder, waiting for a physical confirmation that this was okay, but Reina quickly returned the kiss in kind. With no hesitation, their lips slightly parted, not bothering with chasteness. Their hands also moved with purpose, itching for places to go. One of Reina's hands stayed on Kumiko's shoulder while the other made its way into her hair, clinging with a gentle firmness that said 'you're not going anywhere.' Kumiko's hands wandered lower, one resting on Reina's hip and the other on her knee. She began rubbing circles on it with her thumb, wishing that skin was there instead of tights, fingertips brushing just underneath the bottom of the dress hem.

Their lips and tongues met again and again, soft sighs escaping in between each kiss. It was refreshing, like drinking water after being parched, finding refreshment after walking through a desert. Even though they were in the dark, the fear of being caught also added a spice of exhilaration into the mix. It was also intoxicating.

As usual, the main struggle was keeping their noises down, especially when Kumiko left Reina's mouth unoccupied to focus on kissing other areas. Quick, soft kisses on her cheek traveled up to her ear, which received a few nibbles, before the journey continued back to the weak spot of Reina's neck.

On which Kumiko bit down. Hard. Much harder than Reina anticipated, and enjoyed so much that a way-too-loud and breathy moan escaped her. Reina instantly slapped a hand over her mouth, face burning red with embarrassment.

"Wow," Kumiko breathed out, both flustered and impressed. "That was hot."

"You're awful," Reina hissed. "Do you have no shame at all? You're the one always going on about being careful with PDA, and—"

Kumiko simply laughed in response to the scolding. "But there's no one else in here. I think they all left 'cause they thought the movie was boring too."

"Oh," Reina realized. "So they did." Cheeks still tinged with red, she coyly suggested, "How about we leave too? And head back to my house."

"Okay," Kumiko squeaked out. And then swallowed hard. This could lead to good things.

* * *

There was a noticeable nervous energy between the two on the ride back. Both of them had similar thoughts and intentions, but the words remained unspoken. Reina had wanted to not-so-innocently run her hand up and down Kumiko's leg as she drove, but they _did_ need to get back there in one piece, and couldn't be a distraction (albeit a welcome one).

When they walked in, Reina temporarily placed her new stuffed dog on a table near the door that was the standard spot for car keys and bills. Kumiko hung her jacket on the coat rack. "So…" Reina began, moving forward to wrap her arms around Kumiko's shoulders. "What did you want to do? My parents aren't here. We're all alone…"

"Oh, really?" Kumiko replied, trying to play it cool, but her voice slightly cracked on the y. "Hmm… Y'know what I'd _really_ like to do?"

"What?" Reina asked breathily.

"I'd like to watch you play the piano again."

"…What?"

"Remember when you played for me the first time I came over? That was really nice! Can you play for me? Please?"

It was an unexpected request considering the timing, but Reina couldn't say no to Kumiko's pleading eyes and pure excitement. "Of course."

The piano was in the first room on the left, the afternoon sun peeking in through the blinds. Light reflected off of the various musical achievements and memorabilia hanging on the walls. As Reina lifted the piano's keylid, noticeably less dust floated off of it compared to the first time she had played for Kumiko. "I've actually been practicing more often recently," she elaborated as they both sat down on the bench.

"How do you find the time?"

"I don't sleep," Reina joked, smirking.

"Heh, me neither. But probably for different reasons."

Reina didn't comment on that, pressing down on a key. One long note cut through the air, echoing down the empty halls. "I enjoy playing the piano," she continued, letting up, leaving things quiet again, "but sometimes it makes me a little sad."

Kumiko frowned at Reina's tone—sad, distant, and a little mysterious, like the sound of a lost ship at sea. She scooted closer, wrapping an arm around the other girl's waist, acting as an anchor. "How come?"

"It reminds me of the time I lost my first friend," she answered after a moment, leaning against Kumiko's support. The light and flirty atmosphere just a moment ago now felt somber, thanks to the stinging ache of an unwanted memory. "I was trying to help her with the piano, but she got frustrated with me and ran away crying, and stopped talking to me after that."

"Aww," Kumiko replied, rubbing comforting circles on Reina's back. "When was that?"

"Elementary school… so I suppose it didn't matter too much, but it kept happening after that. Other kids my age or older would get angry when I was improving faster and playing better than them."

"Sounds like they needed to get good."

"Exactly," Reina tried to haughtily retort, but it lacked her usual fire. "So it's always been easier for me not to bother with uninteresting people or friendships and only focus on my music. But… it gets lonely."

"I bet. But you don't have to feel lonely anymore," Kumiko told her, kissing Reina on the cheek. "You've got me."

"I know." Reina looked up into Kumiko's bright golden eyes, reminded of sunshine breaking through a cloudy day. "I'm worried I'm becoming too reliant on you, though…" she looked back down, her fingers fidgeting in her lap instead of on the keys. "I feel really lonely without you around."

"That's okay. I don't mind you needing me… but you don't have _just_ me around, y'know?"

"I don't?"

"Of course not, silly. You've got friends too. Like Yuuko, right? And Hazuki and Midori really like you. Natsuki too."

"I keep forgetting," Reina scoffed. "And Yuuko and I may be friends now, but if you recall, we didn't exactly get off to the best start."

"She told me that you wouldn't listen or follow directions," Kumiko shared before covering up her mouth in panic. "I mean… er… I happened to overhear…"

Reina shook her head in amusement, not surprised that Yuuko would say that—or that Kumiko would let it slip. "That's only half the story."

Kumiko didn't press on that matter, instead sharing, "Reina… I can somewhat relate. When I was in 7th grade, my band had auditions, and I got in instead of an 8th grader. I can still remember it pretty clearly… She was so angry, and cornered me in the storage room and pushed me down to the ground."

Hearing that was more than enough to get the flames of passion burning back in Reina's soul. "What?! How could anyone in their right mind hurt you like that?!" she cried. "You're so sweet!"

"Thanks," Kumiko sheepishly chuckled. "But she didn't seem to think so. She kept screaming at me about how if I wasn't there, she'd get to play."

"Unbelievable. She would've gotten to play if she were better," Reina continued to rant, having no patience for that kind of behavior. "I hope you showed her up and played loud and proud at the competition, then."

"Don't worry, I did. But I still felt guilty about it… Yeah, that's dumb, I know," she added at Reina's incredulous look. "It made me hesitant to join band in high school. Actually, I was supposed to go to a different high school to begin with. There's one that's closer to my house… but I wanted a fresh start with more people I wouldn't know."

"Really?" Reina asked. A thought then occurred to her. "Then I guess I shouldn't be too mad at that girl."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because then you wouldn't have come to our school, and I never would've met you."

"Oh, hey…" Kumiko's face brightened again. "You're right. So I guess it worked out after all." She leaned down to nuzzle Reina's neck, causing her to giggle. "Reina… You don't have to play the piano if it makes you sad."

"It's okay," Reina sat up taller, the spark back. "I want to play for you."

"I'd be honored."

Lately, the pieces Reina had been practicing had a certain heaviness to them. She wasn't one to normally dwell on the past, but that instance in her childhood had been weighing on her performances, like a chain tied onto her ankle. Today, however, the song she played floated through the air freely. Fingers danced along the keys, unburdened by the weight on her shoulders.

Playing for Kumiko made it all better. It gave her and the music new purpose.

Kumiko had closed her eyes in contentment as the song washed over her. After it ended, her eyes opened again, the dull tiredness from earlier gone completely. "Beautiful," she simply said.

"Me or the music?"

"Both… I love you."

"I-I love you too…" Reina tried to not to appear as visibly flustered as the passion behind those words made her. "It feels like you haven't said that first recently."

"Really?" Kumiko blinked in surprise. "Well, I do. I love you so much. I love you… more than ice cream."

Reina giggled at that. "Well, thank you," she deadpanned. "I'm glad you love me more than ice cream."

"It was the first thing I thought of," Kumiko grinned, slightly embarrassed.

"I figured," Reina laughed, before getting serious again, tenderly caressing the other girl's face. "Kumiko… Thank you."

"For what?"

"For… everything."

It was certainly a good thing that they had the house to themselves, since they were picking right up where they left off in the theater. However, a piano bench was not the most comfortable kissing spot.

Finding some propriety again, and finding the position to be awkward after too long, Reina suggested, "Why don't we go up to my room?"

"Ah… okay," Kumiko gulped.

As she followed Reina up the stairs, her heart was threatening to jump out of her chest for every step she took. Standing right outside Reina's bedroom—her 'chambers', if you will—Reina then said something about needing to freshen up. At least, that's what Kumiko thought she heard over the pounding in her ears.

Left alone in the room for the moment, Kumiko continued doing what she did best: internally freaking out. Even for all the teasing and flirting she threw Reina's way about this scenario, this was still almost too much to handle!

She started pacing around in tiny circles, asking herself important questions such as: Should I freshen up too? Should I take some clothes off? Should I sit on the bed? Lay on the bed? Lay on the bed in a sexy pose? Where were some rose petals when you needed them?

In the end, she decided to sit in the usual spot she liked to relax on Reina's bed, leaning up against the headboard. Okay, play it cool, play it cool. Oh wait, she thought, before jumping back up. In the nearby chair sat Reina's stuffed husky Kona, which Kumiko turned around to face the other direction. For some reason, the thought of Reina's beloved childhood stuffed animal watching them made her paranoid.

Yeah, she was weird.

Kumiko was sitting on the bed again when Reina walked back into the room, hoping that the excitement buzzing in her was not visible.

Reina sat down close in one fluid motion, facing her body towards Kumiko. "So…" she said, smoothing out the end of her dress. Her actions tried to exude confidence, but the slight shaking of her hands gave her away. "Where were we?"

"Kissing," Kumiko answered, managing to find her voice. "And stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Yep. Stuff."

There was an awkward pause.

"Reina… Are we—did you—um, that is—is this—uh—are you ready… for…"

Reina laughed at Kumiko's attempts at coherence. "What are you trying to say?"

Kumiko took a deep breath, and started again, "Did you… want to do it?"

"…Yes. I… I'm ready. I really want to."

"Oh, good. 'Cause, um, I really want to too, and you're really hot, and—"

"Slow down, sweet talker," Reina teased. Nervous giggles escaped her. "Gosh. I'm really nervous," she admitted. "And… to be honest, I don't really have any idea of what I'm doing."

Kumiko kindly laughed, holding Reina close, rubbing circles on her hips with her thumbs. "I'm nervous too. And it's okay… we can figure it out together. It's like music, right? Practice makes perfect."

"Yes," Reina shyly smiled. "It does."

They kissed again. And again. The many, _many_ hours of _practice_ quickly began.

* * *

a/n: Oohhh! Sorry to cut it short before it got to the juicy part, but like I said before, I don't want to change the rating of this fic. However, if there's enough demand for it (and there seems to be already, judging by the comments), I might write and post up a separate thing of what these two get up to. We'll see, wink wink.

But, I can't guarantee when that or the next chapter will come out. I've been busy lately with IRL stuff, and I'm starting up a new full-time job again. Tis the life of a temp… In the meantime, feel free to follow me on twitter at kcseabrook if you'd like to keep up with me outside of this story… or mainly if you enjoy anime and gaming retweets combined with the ramblings of an old nerd. See ya around, and in the next one!


	20. Butterfly Kiss

a/n: Hello again, and welcome to the 20th chapter. Holy crap. How long will this thing go? So in case you missed it and wanted to know what M-rated shenanigans Kumiko and Reina got up to in between the last chapter and this one, make sure you check my profile to read 'Our Beginning.' I crafted it with love, so I hope you give it a look! Feedback for it and this story is, as always, greatly appreciated. Please enjoy.

* * *

"Have I told you that I love the way you say my name?"

"Hm?"

Kumiko turned her head to get a better look at Reina, who was currently using her upper arm as a pillow. Lingering moisture from Reina's hair was seeping through the fabric of her shirt sleeve, but she paid it no mind. There were more important things to focus on—the sight of Reina clad in her hoodie again (and only that, mind you); the soft sensation of bare legs curled around one of her own; and the fragrant smell of the shampoo from the shower they shared earlier. They had spent some time now simply laying together on Reina's bed, enjoying the quiet contentment of each other's presence and basking in the afterglow.

"I love all the pet names, of course," Reina continued, a demure smile curling on her lips, "but the way you say my name makes me really happy."

"Aww. That's really sweet—"

"Especially when you moan it over and over."

"Oh my gosh, Reina," Kumiko groaned. "How can you be such a prude _and_ a pervert?"

"I'm neither," she retorted, booping Kumiko on the nose. Her hand traveled downward, index finger lingering on Kumiko's bottom lip for a moment, before resting her palm on her chest.

Kumiko responded with a low hum. A satisfied sleepiness was creeping up on her. What had transpired that afternoon left her worn out in all the right ways.

"You know," Reina continued, now drawing random shapes on Kumiko's stomach, in a tone that suggested that she was about to make a wise statement, "you're a lot like a trumpet."

"Yeah…?" Kumiko asked, unsure of where this was going. "How so?"

"You press down and blow and use your tongue and pretty sounds come out," Reina explained smugly, as if to say, make a note of this.

"Oh my gosh, Reina," Kumiko said again, partly amused but mostly embarrassed. "I appreciate the comparison."

"You should! Because, well… The trumpet is one of the things I love the most in the world… so if you're like a trumpet, then…"

"Aww!" Kumiko said, overwhelmed with cuteness, and now completely convinced. "I'm like a trumpet… I feel honored…"

Reina shyly smiled, but then incredulously asked, "Are you crying?"

"N-no…"

"You're such a nerd," Reina teased, kissing her on the cheek where one tear had fallen.

"No, _you're_ the nerd," Kumiko retorted, holding her close. There wasn't a time in her recent memory where she had ever felt this happy. She could've stayed snuggled up to Reina for possibly all of eternity, but the darkening skies outside reminded her that time did not stand still for them. Reflexively, she checked her wrist for the time, but her watch had been taken off earlier. "What time is it?"

Reina glanced over her shoulder at the clock behind her. "Almost 5:30," she answered. "Why, do you have to get going?"

"Afraid so," Kumiko sighed, sitting up after a moment. It was hard to pull away, much like how it was hard to pull apart magnets. "Erm… can I check something?" she asked, to which Reina gave confirmation. Lifting the hoodie up to take a look, Kumiko cringed at the sight. Bright scratches loudly stood out on Reina's sides, as if alabaster had been marred by painted red claws. "Yikes. Those marks are still there…"

"It's okay, they don't hurt. Besides, I wanted you to leave them there," Reina reassured with a wink.

"Yeah, but… I don't want to scar your pretty skin."

"You didn't. But… I wouldn't mind if you did."

"Wow," Kumiko breathed out, then whistled, impressed—and a little turned on. "Who knew that Reina Kousaka was so _kinky_."

"Yes, well…" Reina sat up as well, matching Kumiko's grin with one of her own. "You're also a glutton for punishment in your own ways."

Kumiko chuckled, unable to deny that. "I don't mind being at the mercy of an ice queen."

"Ice queen?"

"Ah—I didn't mean that in a bad way! You're all cool and regal, y'know?"

"Hm… If you say so. So if I'm your queen, does that make you my king?"

"Nah. I'll be your moat. Or your court jester."

"Give yourself more credit than that. Even if court jester is quite fitting."

The flirting and teasing continued, but Reina eventually allowed Kumiko to get dressed. She also found the decency this time to put on some pants, wanting to follow Kumiko downstairs to see her off.

"Oh, you left your new little buddy down here," Kumiko noticed, picking the stuffed dog off the table near the front door and placing him in Reina's arms.

"Her name is Yuki," Reina informed her, squeezing the dog close to her chest.

"I remembered," Kumiko snickered. "Snuggle with it good tonight."

"What makes you think I sleep with stuffed animals?"

"Don't pretend that you don't. You nerd."

"Who are you calling a nerd, you dork?"

"You. Nerd," Kumiko smirked, reaching for her jacket hanging on the coat rack, but Reina stopped her. "Hm?"

"Um… Can you leave your jacket here?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Because… um…" Reina fidgeted with and started turning as red as the ribbon on the plush dog. "I want to wear it tomorrow…"

Kumiko grinned like a maniac. "What's with you and wanting to wear my clothes?"

"It makes me feel closer to you," Reina muttered, moving to hide her face in Kumiko's shoulder. "It's like you're always giving me a hug, even when you're not with me."

"Seriously, Reina, one day you're going to kill me with how cute you are," Kumiko giggled, squeezing her girlfriend close and peppering her face with kisses, causing Reina to whine in embarrassment. "I suppose I'll brave the cold just for you."

"Thank you," Reina pouted, stubbornly trying to hide how much she liked to be doted on. The wall of bravado she tried to build soon came down, as she joined in with Kumiko's giggles.

The sound of the front door opening behind them startled the two. They immediately jumped apart, standing at arm's length, not wanting to be affectionate in front of Reina's parents. Miki and Soujiro walked inside, the former carrying one shopping bag; the latter carrying the rest, and also looking slightly buzzed.

"Oh, hello, girls," Miki brightly chirped at the couple—who were trying to keep it cool, but were epically failing at it, since they couldn't stop giggling, looking like a pair of silly nerds.

Soujiro raised an eyebrow when his wife elbowed him in the side, trying to communicate something, but he didn't know what it could be. "What?" he asked.

Miki shot him a knowing, but extremely amused look. "Darling, I think it might be best if you shared some _fatherly_ words of wisdom, now that our daughter has… grown up a bit," she explained, low enough for the teenagers not to hear.

Soujiro instantly flipped to the page his wife was on, face turning white upon coming to the same conclusion. "No way!" he yelped a little too loud, catching the girls' attentions. "I didn't rehearse for this!"

"Well, then improvise it," Miki ordered in that familiar tone that said 'you have no say in the matter.' Regarding Kumiko with a genuinely pleasant smile, she said, "Drive safe, Kumiko dear! Thank you for always taking such good care of our dear Reina. You're welcome here anytime."

"Oh… thank you, ma'am," Kumiko responded to Miki, but looked at Soujiro instead, noting his awkwardness.

Soujiro resembled an abandoned puppy after Miki walked away. "Well, erm, girls," he cleared his throat. Kumiko and Reina looked at him expectantly. "I realize that… being a teenager comes with… certain _desires…_ "

 _Oh no,_ they thought.

"But that, uh, it's important to stay safe… Uh, how do girls 'stay safe' anyway? It's not like either of you can get pregnant…" he started mumbling to himself, again a bit too loud.

 _Oh my god._

"I had too much wine at dinner, I can't think…" Soujiro continued muttering before noticing that Kumiko and Reina were staring at him, aghast. "Uh! Anyway! Also… uh…! Remember that certain, er, activities come with a sense of responsibility, and it is not to be taken lightly!" Again, too loud, he mumbled, "Yeah, that sounded good, like a dad thing to say…"

"Daddy!" Reina nearly shrieked. "You're so embarrassing!"

"Also!" Soujiro continued, ignoring the screech. He pointed right at Kumiko, his unsure gaze instantly turning into a death glare. "I swear to god, or whoever, if you do _anything_ to hurt my daughter, so help me…"

" _Daddy,"_ Reina said again, protectively wrapping her arms around her scared girlfriend. "Be nice! Kumiko is wonderful! She's so sweet, and is always there for me, and—"

"That's good to hear," Soujiro interrupted, his face a bit softer, but then turned mean again, "And it better stay that way."

"Y-yes, sir!" Kumiko squeaked out. "I'll do my absolute best! Your daughter is very important to me!"

"As she should be." His burning stare quickly cooled down. "Alright… uh… I guess that's all I had to say," Soujiro breathed out, visibly relieved. "See you girls later." He weakly waved bye as he trudged towards the direction of his office. "Man, being a dad is hard…"

Reina buried her face into her hands. She wished a pit would open up underneath and take her away, but again, she was not so fortunate. "Oh my god," she said once her father was out of earshot. "That was mortifying."

"That was frightening," Kumiko added. "And… uh… how did they know? Are they that perceptive? Or are we just that obvious?"

"Probably a bit of both," Reina mumbled into her palms. "I want to die."

"Please don't, baby," Kumiko chuckled, rubbing Reina's back soothingly, trying to ease her pain. "It's so cool that your parents are supportive…"

Reina came back to her senses. "You're right," she agreed, sensitive to how Kumiko's voice slightly trailed off at the end with a sense of lingering sadness. "I'm glad that they are… even if they're absolutely embarrassing." She stood on her tiptoes to give Kumiko a goodbye kiss. "I'll let you go now. See you tomorrow morning?"

"Of course," Kumiko smiled. "Like your dutiful knight, I will be here, your majesty."

"I thought you were my jester?"

"I can be whatever you like," Kumiko theatrically bowed, but looked like a total dork doing so. "Love ya."

"Love you too," Reina smiled. "Bye."

Kumiko proceeded to leave, but instead of heading back upstairs, Reina snuck over to a window to watch her girlfriend walk to her car. Or, more accurately, she watched Kumiko skip and dance down the walkway, complete with celebratory fist pumps.

Reina laughed at the sight. "Yep. What a dork."

* * *

True to her words, Kumiko arrived bright and early to pick up Reina for school. As was often the case on a Sunday night, she had expected not to be able to sleep, but for once, she was well-rested. She had even woken up early enough to have breakfast and a tea. With that, she was bouncing with energy and along to the beat of the music blasting from her radio.

" _You'll never see it coming~ You'll see that my mind is too fast for eyes~ You're done in! By the time it's hit you, your last surprise—_ Ack."

"Aw, why'd you stop?" Reina asked when she opened the door to get in, clearly amused. "You're a good singer."

"Nah…"

"You're in a good mood today," Reina also noted, reaching over to give her girlfriend a hug. "You're normally not this energetic in the morning."

"Yeah, well, it's 'cause…" Kumiko sheepishly trailed off. Taking in Reina's appearance today, she instantly switched gears, "Hot damn!" she exclaimed. "You look really good today, baby."

"What, really? I just threw this on," Reina replied, looking down at what she was wearing—jeans, a t-shirt and Kumiko's jacket. It was definitely way more casual than her usual attire. "Or are you talking about the ponytail?"

"I'm talking about _everything_. Is there any look you can't pull off?" Kumiko asked, again feeling grateful to have such a lovely girlfriend. "Hehe… I also really like when you wear my clothes for some reason…"

"And I like wearing them."

They both shared the sentiment that they'd rather each other's clothes be _off._

"…I can't stop thinking about yesterday," Kumiko blurted out.

"Same here," Reina admitted with a blush.

However, their flirting was temporarily interrupted with the feeling that they were being watched. Kumiko could see Reina's father in the window looking imposing _—_ despite being short, in pajamas, and disheveled. He pointed two fingers at his own eyes, then at Kumiko, communicating 'I've got my eyes on you.'

Kumiko suddenly felt like like prey being hunted by a hawk. Immediately, she took her arms off Reina, put the car in reverse, and peeled out of the driveway, nearly hitting the trashcan sitting by the curb in the process.

"For goodness sake," Reina sighed, looking back at her house shrinking in the distance. "Don't mind him," she comforted her frightened girlfriend, trying not to laugh. "He's just messing with you."

Kumiko unsurely nodded in response. Note to self: never, ever mess with any of the Kousakas.

* * *

Yuuko's impatient drumming on her steering wheel did not match the beat of the music playing at all, rage taking higher precedence than rhythm. Finally, Natsuki emerged from the house, having slept in to the last possible minute. At least, that's what Yuuko (correctly) assumed, since Natsuki clearly couldn't have spent too much time primping.

"Heyo," Natsuki greeted her girlfriend, leaning in close.

Instead of a kiss, she got a barrage of scolding. "What took you so long, Natsuki?! I'm already getting tired of waiting for you in the mornings!" In one swift motion, she put the car in drive and started speeding down the road. "At this rate, you're going to make us both late!"

Natsuki pouted at the lack of affection, but seemed unaffected by the scolding. "Good morning to you too, princess. And it's fine," she reasoned, glancing at the clock on the radio. "We've got plenty of time."

"No thanks to you."

Natsuki took a sip of coffee, sitting in silence for a minute. "Hey…" she started, a lopsided grin forming on her face in a way that Yuuko _might_ call cute. "I've got a question. What do you think about pet names?"

"I don't mind them… but most of the time they gross me out. Like with Kumiko and Reina," she comedically gagged.

"Those two are so gross, man," Natsuki agreed. "Oh, that reminds me! I wanna make a bet."

"On what?"

"Whether or not those two finally banged over the weekend."

"Must you be so crude?" Yuuko snarked, but her natural curiosity and love of gossip overrode her annoyance. "I do wonder, though… But I don't think they did. When I recently asked Reina about it, she seemed really nervous and unsure, like she wasn't ready yet."

"20 bucks says that they did."

"What makes you so confident?"

"Don't underestimate my underling! I guarantee she used the charms I taught her!"

"Uh huh. Charms."

"You can't deny I've got 'em."

"You've got… something."

* * *

Yuuko's bright yellow Mini Cooper (a sweet 16 gift from her ever-doting parents) buzzed down the road like an angry hornet. So, in record time, the pair made it to school, landing into Yuuko's usual parking spot.

Natsuki nearly tumbled out of the vehicle upon opening the door, face drained of color. "You drive like a maniac!" she yelped.

Yuuko loudly shut her own door, making her way over to the passenger's side. "I wouldn't have to if you were such a slowpoke!" she scolded again, but placed a gentle hand on the small of Natsuki's back. "My first class is on the other side of the building, so I need to head in. I'll see you at practice," she bid farewell with a quick kiss on her girlfriend's cheek.

"See ya later, princess," Natsuki smiled. She was about to reciprocate the action until something caught Yuuko's attention.

"Tsukamoto!" she yelled over at the boy, who had just arrived as well. The shriek caused him to jump. "You better grow a pair and ask Hazuki out A.S.A.P!"

"Uh—uh, y-yeah, I will!" Shuuichi responded, his pace quickly increasing. "I'm working on it!"

Natsuki snickered at her bro bolting into the school, afraid of incurring the wrath of Yuuko Yoshikawa. "It's funny that you call him Tsukamoto. It makes you sound like the punk you are."

"I thought I was a princess, not a punk," Yuuko replied as Natsuki kissed her on the cheek. "See you later."

"See ya," Natsuki wistfully said bye, watching Yuuko walk away. She was in no rush herself, so she decided to take her time—but then it was her turn to be startled by the call of her own name behind her.

"Natsuki!"

Natsuki turned around to see Midori. Behind her was that ginormous truck of hers, which seemed way too big and unwieldily for her to handle. And is that where that loud death metal music had been coming from earlier? Considering the Kawashimas' background, Natsuki expected that she would have her own personal driver or something… but Midori was a spirited girl who marched to the beat of her own drum. Or, rather, would march with a contrabass if she was able to. Which was just as weird.

"I couldn't help but overhear!" Midori chirped. "What's this about someone asking Hazuki out?" she asked again, raising herself up and down on her tiptoes. The various character keychains hanging from her backpack jangled loudly, shaken up by her excited energy.

"Hmm… I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to know," Natsuki decided, leaning in conspiratorially. She placed a hand down on the top of Midori's fluffy head, similar to stopping the movement of a bobblehead. "Shuuichi's planning on asking Hazuki out, but he's gotta man up and do it."

Midori gasped. Loudly. And squealed. Loudly. "Oh my gosh!" she cheered, stars in her eyes. "I kept telling Hazuki that he would eventually realize how cute and great she is!"

"Yeah, I hope so," Natsuki chuckled, not elaborating on the possible reason that prompted Shuuichi to take an interest in the girl (and her ranking on his Excel spreadsheet). "She's a cutie pie, alright." The memory of their quick kisses resurfaced in her mind, now regarded with a nostalgic fondness.

"She sure is!" Midori enthusiastically agreed, always eager to extol the virtues of her best friend. Midori was probably Hazuki's biggest fan. Their friendship was like a cake on display in a bakery window—cute, and picture perfect, but a bit too sweet and sugary for Natsuki's tastes.

"Oh, but keep it quiet, alright?" Natsuki advised. "When he finally does ask her, it should be a surprise." Midori fervently nodded in agreement, miming the zipping of her lips shut. "I bet she'll be hyped to go out with him… for some reason," she snarked, much like Kumiko would. "I don't really get it myself. Guys are so… bleh. Especially Shuu…"

Midori unzipped her lips. "Even if that's true, we must support her 100%!"

"Of course," Natsuki agreed, petting the shorter girl's head again, causing her to pout. "C'mon, squirt, we gotta get to class."

"Don't call me squirt."

"Okay, Sapphire."

"Don't call me that either!"

* * *

Later that day, Natsuki strolled into the instrument storage room to pick up her euphonium. "Sup, nerd!" she greeted Kumiko, who was doing the same thing. "Did you have a good weekend?"

"Oh, yeah…" Kumiko replied, trying and failing hard to hide the dopey grin on her face. "It was great…"

That was all the confirmation Natsuki needed to know that she had won the bet. "Oh _man!_ " she laughed. "No _way!_ You sly dog! You charmer! You finally did it!"

"D-did what?" Kumiko squawked.

"Don't play dumb with me, kid…" Natsuki practically skipped over, feeling richer. "It's obvious that you totally got laid."

"Wh—wha—what makes you say that?!"

"It's written all over your face," she smirked, pointing at it. "You've got the look of someone who had some _hot lesbian sex_."

"Oh my god."

"No need to be embarrassed. I'm proud of you! Asuka too, I'm sure—"

As if summoned by name alone, Asuka appeared in the doorway like an apparition. "What is taking so long?" she demanded. "We don't have all day—"

"Asuka!" Natsuki cheered, her arm now draped over Kumiko's shoulders to prevent her from escaping. "Guess what! Kumiko got laid!"

Asuka's annoyance turned into pride in 0.5 seconds. "How wonderful! My good luck wish was not in vain!"

"You guys are so embarrassing," Kumiko grumbled, wishing for a hole to hide in.

"Aw, don't be!" Natsuki gave a playful shove. "We're just filled with pride! We've taught you so well…"

Kumiko scoffed. "Hey, don't act like you're any more experienced than me now, Natsuki," she grinned, ready to turn the tables on the teasing. " _Virgin._ "

"Hey!" Natsuki yelped, turning red.

"She makes a point," Asuka agreed. "Now the teacher is the pupil…"

"Low blow! Don't start teasing _me_ … We're supposed to be making fun of the kid…"

Hazuki then popped up in the door. "What's taking so long?"

"Have you heard, have you heard, have you heard the news?" Asuka singsonged. "Dear Kumiko has—"

"Be quiet!" Kumiko yelled, embarrassed again. "Not everyone needs to know!"

"Well, too bad, 'cause it's obvious," Natsuki said.

"What's obvious?" Hazuki asked, blinking in confusion.

"…Well, obvious to _some_ people."

"Does this have something to do with why you and Reina kept giggling at lunch?"

"So obvious."

Midori also popped up. "It sounds like a party in here!"

"Well, party's over," Asuka stopped the fun. "We've got work to do—and a meeting."

* * *

The meeting was in regards to the upcoming competition next month. As such, sectional practices would be occurring less, in favor of more ensemble practices.

Asuka made it clear in no uncertain terms that she had no patience for slackers or distractions, wanting everyone to do their best to propel the band forward in national rankings. Especially for the sake of the seniors in the band, as this would be their last opportunity to participate in high school competitions.

At the start of the year, when asked by their director Ms. Yamanaka, the band had voted to focus on competing. Despite majority rule, some people regarded the goal with a little less seriousness than others, which is where conflict often came into play.

For the bass section, however, everyone was pumped—even in Hazuki's case, despite her mind not _entirely_ being on music at the moment. She was not one to let her friends down, fully prepared to support them in the first year she would be playing on stage.

Practice let out for the day. Kumiko and Reina would've walked out with Natsuki and Yuuko like usual, but Reina had to go back to get something out of her locker.

On the way, they crossed paths with another trumpet player. It was Mina. Kumiko didn't know her last name, but she knew that she was a junior, outspoken, and a bit audacious. Since she and Reina were in the same section, Kumiko expected an exchange of pleasantries like a 'see you tomorrow,' but Mina regarded Reina with an icy stare. As if she had not a second to spare for Reina, she hastened her pace in the opposite direction.

When they got to Reina's locker, Kumiko asked, "What was that about?" Just in case, she looked all around, afraid of eavesdroppers, but no one was nearby. The students and teachers without clubs to attend had since gone home.

"Nothing," Reina responded quietly, entering in her combination. "Don't worry about it."

Kumiko bit her lip, now worried. "Is everything going okay in your section? Is anyone giving you trouble?"

"No more than usual," she replied mysteriously, retrieving the worksheet she needed.

"Hey… Y'know… if anyone's giving you a hard time, or being mean to you, let me know," Kumiko puffed up, making a fist. "I'll have a word with them."

"You'd do that?"

"…Probably."

"You're terrible."

Kumiko snickered. "Hey, wanna know something funny?"

"What?"

"Y'know the tuba couple from my section—Takuya and Riko? They've been dating longer than we have, like since the start of the school year, but they haven't even kissed yet. Us, on the other hand…"

"What are you getting at?"

"Are we a couple of sluts?"

Reina laughed louder than intended, the sound echoing down the hall. "Are you slut shaming us?"

"Nah. I guess neither of them are as intense or insatiable as the great Reina Kousaka. You might just be the death of me one day."

"Only if you betray me," Reina warned, looping one finger into Kumiko's shirt collar to pull her down. "I won't hesitate to hunt you down and kill you."

"I'm prepared for that," Kumiko said, lowering her voice to almost a growl. "But seriously… no one messes with my Reina."

"Thank you," Reina bashfully smiled. "I'm prepared to fight for your honor too."

There was something else still on Kumiko's mind. "So…" she began. "You don't think we're moving too fast? I mean, we said 'I love you' after a month—and Natsuki said that seemed really soon—and now… um… when you think about it, we haven't even known each other for that long. Is this okay?"

"You worry too much," Reina replied, squeezing her hand. "I don't care what other people might think of our relationship, or if we're moving 'too fast' compared to other couples. As long as you're okay with it, I am too."

"…Yeah," Kumiko agreed after a moment, feeling lighter from relief. "I do worry too much. It's just… you make me so happy, that I'm worried about something coming along and ruining it…"

"Shh," Reina gently hushed, moving closer and placing a kiss on Kumiko's cheek. "We're okay."

The two walked out of the school hand-in-hand, neither of them caring if anyone saw.


	21. Life Goes On

"What's everyone doing for Valentine's Day?" The question was not out of the blue for someone like Midori to ask. "It's this Tuesday, you know!" she continued gleefully. "Only 4 days away!"

Hazuki blearily lifted her head up, which had been cradled in her arms on top of the table. "Probably nothing. Zero. Nada."

"What _are_ we doing?" Kumiko asked Reina in between bites of her lunch.

Reina side-eyed the question. "I thought we discussed this already."

Kumiko grinned. "I know. I was just messing with you."

"Terrible."

Hazuki loudly groaned. "I'm tired of Valentine's Day, and it's not even here yet! And I'm tired of all these cutesy couples around me!" she began ranting, pointing accusingly at Kumiko and Reina.

"That sounds like something Natsuki would say," Midori giggled.

"What?" Hazuki yelped, her face turning redder against her will. "Who said anything about Natsuki?!"

"It was a Natsuki-like thing to say," Kumiko agreed.

"No! I don't wanna talk about Natsuki!"

Kumiko blinked, confused. "Okay… Did something happen?"

"No!" she exclaimed again, pretty much saying 'yes.'

However, no one questioned it. Midori continued, unperturbed, "Anywho, I already have my plans. I'm going to spend a long night snuggled up with my life-size Tuba-kun plush." She clasped her hands together, swooning. At the lack of response, she attempted to defend herself, "Please don't judge."

"I'm not," Reina replied.

"I'm not either," Kumiko lied.

"What the heck?" Hazuki asked, clearly, obviously, and outright judging. "Does you liking that Tuba-kun thing so much have anything to do with you being… what was it, skillet-sexual?"

" _Pan_ sexual," Midori kindly clarified as Kumiko started choking from laughter. "And I suppose it does."

"You're all weird. A bunch of weirdos!"

Grabbing her things and leaving her friends behind, Hazuki darted out the cafeteria, weaving through other students like a small dog in an obstacle course. Since lunch was still going on, the student traffic lightened up between there and her journey back to main building. Hazuki paused to look outside, appreciating the rare view from the sky bridge that connected the buildings. It was a sight that often got ignored during the hustle and bustle of commutes between classes.

Hazuki sighed, leaning forward against the handrail, gazing out of the large windows at the overcast sky. She didn't know why she stormed off like that. She was being too dramatic.

"Oh, h-hey, Hazuki!"

Hazuki's heart leaped into her throat at the sound of her name. But instead of _her_ , it was _him_. Tall, dark, and handsome—or gangly, awkward, and weird, depending on who you asked (which was most people)—Shuuichi stood there, nervously waving.

"Oh, h-hi, Shuuichi," she replied. Hazuki expected it to be a quick greeting, a simple exchange of pleasantries between band mates, but it soon become obvious by Shuuichi continuing to stand there, shuffling his weight between his feet, that he intended to talk further. This seemed very peculiar. They hadn't had an actual conversation since Hazuki's attempt at asking him out at least a year ago.

"H-how's it going?" he croaked out, moving to stand next to her. It was also obvious that he didn't really know how to properly communicate with girls—Kumiko and Natsuki being the only exceptions.

"It goes okay. How are you?"

"I'm good… Oh, hey…" he tried to play it cool, "Valentine's Day is right around the corner…" He nervously picked at one of the paper hearts that had been plastered all over the school by the student council.

"Yeah…" Hazuki almost grumbled, now reminded of why she ran.

"And, uh, I was wondering—wouldyouliketogooutwithmesomewheretomorrow?"

Hazuki blinked, not sure if she heard that right, especially since it all came out in one breath. "What?"

Shuuichi attempted the invitation again, "Would you like… to go out with me tomorrow? Like, on a date? Oh, if you're not busy, of course! You probably are! But it's cool!"

What? Shuuichi was asking _her_ out? What the hell happened? Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality…

"Oh, uh, sure!" Hazuki managed to recover. "I'm not busy. I'd, uh… be happy to… go out with you…" she shyly trailed off as figurative butterflies flapped wildly in her throat.

"Great!" Shuuichi smiled, visibly relieved. "Oh, uh, I guess we'll have to exchange numbers, right? We'll—uh, figure it out after practice, okay? See ya later!"

"Bye."

This was all _very_ weird.

* * *

Zipping up her lunchbox, Reina asked, "So what are we doing tomorrow?"

"We're doing something tomorrow?" Kumiko replied as she gathered their trash onto her lunch tray to dispose of.

"Yes," she confirmed, her voice lathered with deliberate sweetness. "If you recall, we couldn't have a sleepover _last_ week, so…"

Kumiko got goosebumps at the feeling of Reina's nails drawing random shapes on her back. "O-oh. So you wanna come over?" The look Reina was giving her was making it impossible for her to say no, even if she wanted to. "That should be fine, but I'll have to double-check," she smiled. "My mom and I were planning on making something together. She's been teaching me some family recipes."

"That sounds nice. I'm still determined to get your parents to like me, you know."

"Oh, don't worry, baby. They do."

"You two are just so sweet!" Midori swooned, breaking the bubble they had created. "I could watch you forever."

"Ah, heh, thanks," Kumiko said, a bit embarrassed at having been caught drifting into her own little world with Reina again. Something else got her attention, too, as she looked around for the source of the strange noise. "Is someone calling my name?"

Someone indeed was. It was Shuuichi, barreling towards her. "Kumiko! Bro!" he alternated between yelling.

"Oh no," Kumiko flatly said. "What does he want now—ack!" Her sentence ended with a yelp as Shuuichi, in his overwhelming joy, lifted her up from behind in a bear hug.

"I did it! I asked her out, bro!"

"Put me down, you idiot!" Kumiko squawked, her feet desperately flailing just off the ground. She had gotten too used to most of her friends being shorter than her.

"Yes, please stop manhandling her," Reina agreed, before smirking, "That's my job."

Midori squealed, slamming her hands down, looking like she was about to jump up and dance on the table. It wouldn't be the first time she had. "You finally asked Hazuki out?!"

"I did!" Shuuichi happily replied, letting go of Kumiko, letting her drop to the floor. "Wait—how did you know that?"

"That's not important!" Midori snapped her fingers, posing like she was about to do the cha-cha-cha. "What's important is that you treat my best friend right! I have a handy list of great date spots you can take her—"

"Uh, I don't think that'll be—"

Reina tugged on Kumiko's sleeve. "Let's get going. This might take a while," she said as Midori sat Shuuichi down for a well-rehearsed lecture on how to treat her friend right.

"Yeah," Kumiko recovered, brushing herself off. "Looks like Midori was prepared for this."

* * *

The next day, it wasn't only Shuuichi and Hazuki on a date.

"Why do you like shopping for clothes so much, princess?"

"I think it's fun," Yuuko chirped, skimming through a sales rack.

"Yeah, well, I think it's _boooooring_ ," Natsuki exaggeratedly groaned, having been drug to the mall (mostly) against her will. "Not that I don't like looking good. 'Cause I do," she smirked, pointing her thumbs at herself. She did indeed look like the ladykiller she always was, despite having the same shirt on underneath her jacket for 3 days now. "But most of the time it sucks, especially if you don't find anything. What are you even looking for?"

"I'm trying to find this," Yuuko held up a light pink top, "in a small. But not a small that's _too_ small, but more like a medium that runs small, but sometimes mediums are more like larges, especially in this brand—"

"Women's clothes are bullshit!" Natsuki interrupted. "They're all too thin, too expensive, and sized weird!"

"Well, I don't disagree."

"And look at these t-shirts over here," she continued her dramatic tirade. "You'd have to be an asshole to wear some of these."

"Be quiet."

"For real, 'GRL PWR'?" Natsuki asked, reading and pointing at large white text on the extremely thin black fabric. "This has a serious lack of education. And this one… 'Shh, shh, I'm a mermaid'? What does that even mean?"

The beginnings of a headache were starting to creep up on Yuuko. "Natsuki, I brought you along for your company, not for your sarcastic commentary."

"Well, I hate to tell ya, princess, but having my company _always_ includes the sarcastic commentary," Natsuki grinned, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders.

"Believe me, I'm becoming well aware," Yuuko grumbled, attempting to swat Natsuki away, but it was to no avail. "And I happen to _like_ those shirts. So am _I_ an asshole?"

Natsuki deliberately didn't answer right away. "Wellllll…"

"Ah, I see. _You're_ an asshole."

"No, you," Natsuki replied, making a kissy-face back.

Yuuko smirked. "You've got some really dumb shirts too. Like the 'Cement Addiction' one. What's that even mean?"

"I'll have you know that _Cement Addiction_ is the name of a kickass indie band," Natsuki explained. "I got it at one of their shows!"

"Oh, I guess that makes more sense than you just being an idiot."

The two continued their combative flirting, which to anyone to didn't know them would think that they didn't get along at all—and would wonder why they were even hanging out—but it was how they showed their love. It was a fun game between them, seeing who could irritate and cleverly insult the other the most.

"Hey, look," Natsuki hit the pause button on this round, directing Yuuko's attention to something outside the shop. "It's Shuu and Hazuki. Big hetero and tiny hetero. Er, well, half-hetero, I think. Heh, they look so awkward and nervous 'cause it's their first date."

"You're one to talk," Yuuko quipped. "You were so nervous on _our_ first date that I thought you were going to make a hole in the ground with all your pacing."

"Hey!" Natsuki began flushing red. " _You_ were nervous too…"

Yuuko giggled at her expression instead of arguing, finding a nervous Natsuki to be way too cute. What a dork. Pointing back at the other young couple, she asked, "Do you want to follow them?"

"Nah. Who'd want to follow a couple around on a date? A bunch of weirdos, that's who. Oh, but can we go to Spencer's? I think they've got a sale on jewelry going on or something."

"Sure. I suppose I've tortured you enough for one day."

"Yeah, I'm not into torture. Actually, scratch that. Maybe I am, since I'm dating you…"

"Excuse me?!"

Yuuko chased after Natsuki all the way to the shop a few doors down, trying to grab onto the back of her jacket, or her ponytail—whichever she could get a grip on first. Inside the store was a self-proclaimed 'punk' aesthetic, selling shirts, posters, jewelry, and random crap in general. There was also a section in the back that was rated a bit more than PG-13.

A display of boxes of a variety of different colors stood out, the sign reading 'personal massagers.' "Heh," Natsuki chuckled, knowing their true purpose. Holding one up, she joked, "What if we got one of these for Kumiko and Reina, with some batteries, and told 'em to 'have fun'?"

Yuuko decided to mess with her, "Why would we buy one for them when we could buy one for ourselves?"

Natsuki dropped the box, it clattering loudly on the floor. "W-what?!"

"I'm just joking."

"…Oh…"

"Why do you look so disappointed?"

"Wha—no! I'm fine!"

"Oh my god, you _pervert._ "

"You started it!"

A heavily pierced and tattooed clerk then approached. "Can I help you ladies find anything?" she pleasantly asked with a smile.

"We're fine!" they both yelped.

Unfortunately for them, they left the store without buying anything.

* * *

Meanwhile, Reina had been spending the day at the Oumae house, as she often was nowadays. It was almost dinner time, and Kumiko and her mother had been working together on making a meal for everybody.

"Alright," Akiko continued advising, "right now we just have to wait for the veggies and pasta to finish cooking, so you can take a little break."

"Okie."

"Kumikooo," Reina said from her seat at the table, having been banned from kitchen duty, playing a point-and-click adventure game that was installed on Kumiko's laptop. Taking the opportunity to get her girlfriend's attention back, she pleaded for her help, "Come here. I'm stuck at this part."

"What? I thought you were smart," Kumiko teased, wiping her hands off with a dish towel before making her way over. Leaning on the back of the chair and over Reina's shoulder, she asked, "Where are you at?"

"This room with the mirrors," she grumbled. "I can't figure out what to do."

"Did you use magic on all the mirrors?"

" _Yes,_ I used all the types. And hit one with a rock. Oh, and I used my knife on the pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern… which I also used."

"Using a pumpkin on a mirror totally seems like a logical step."

"And nothing works!"

"Maybe you should look up a walkthrough," Kumiko suggested.

"No." Reina defiantly formed a fist on the table. "I won't let this beat me."

Kumiko chuckled. "You're silly. Maybe you should take a break."

"You're right," Reina sighed, saving her progress and closing the laptop. "Are you sure you don't need any help with dinner?"

"Uhhh…" Kumiko said, recalling Reina's general ineptitude in the kitchen, like having issues with cracking an egg.

"I know how to crack eggs now."

Kumiko jumped. "Did I say that out loud?"

"No. But I could tell you were thinking it." She stood up and declared, "I want to help."

"It's fine, Reina," Akiko spoke up with an amused smile. "You're our guest. We've got it handled. Oh—but if you'd like to do something, you could set the table?"

"Good idea!" Kumiko quickly agreed. "That way, you can't ruin anything."

"I beg your pardon?" Reina crossed her arms.

"Uh, I mean… Lemme show you where the silverware is."

While Kumiko opened the appropriate drawer, Akiko informed her, "Make sure you set five places."

"Five?" Kumiko asked, extremely confused, counting on one hand. "Isn't that one too many?"

"We're having a special dinner guest tonight."

Hey, Kumiko thought. Wasn't Reina special enough? "Is Sis coming home tonight or something?"

"Nope. It's someone else," Akiko mysteriously smiled. Before Kumiko could inquire further, the doorbell rang. "Oh, speak of the devil! That must be them. Go get the door, will you, honey?"

Kumiko cautiously made her way around the corner to the entryway and the foyer. "Geh. What are _you_ doing here?" she asked after checking the peephole and opening the door.

"Hey!" Shuuichi frowned, expecting a much more pleasant hello. "Your mom invited me."

"That's right," Akiko confirmed, leaning around the corner, anticipating to see a gleeful reaction from her daughter. "Now, Kumiko, is that any way to greet our guest?"

"Geh," Kumiko grumbled again.

Shuuichi followed the orders to remove his smelly shoes and follow his friend inside. He was in a pretty good mood, having just spent a fun day with Hazuki, and having been promised a nice dinner at the Oumaes. However, had been unaware that he was not the only dinner guest this evening. A bit of fear suddenly shot through him when he spotted her—holding sharp knives and forks, no less. "Oh, hi, Kousaka."

"Hello."

"And Shuuichi!" Akiko continued to fuss in a motherly manner. "Is that any way to greet a lady?"

"Hello, Lady Reina," he greeted more enthusiastically, but that got him a kick in the shin from Kumiko, as if she were saying, ' _hey,_ that's _my_ line.'

"Hello," Reina replied again, continuing to set the table. When she was finished, she took her same seat, and Shuuichi awkwardly settled into the one on the end to the left of her.

The two glanced helplessly at the person they had in common, wanting to be saved from the awkward situation of having to converse with each other—but Kumiko was again preoccupied with dinner preparations.

"So…" Shuuichi began, fighting through his fears. "How's trumpeting?"

"It's good," Reina courteously said. He didn't seem that interesting to talk to, but she was going to try. "How's tromboning?"

Kumiko snorted at that, getting an embarrassed glare from Shuuichi. "It's fine," he answered. The conversation died for a moment as he wracked his brain for a topic. What did they have in common… "Oh! Hey, didja know that Kumiko wanted to try the trombone when she started high school, but got stuck with the euphonium again? Heh. So I lucked out!"

"Oh, really?" Reina asked, a teasing lilt at the end. "I can't imagine her playing anything but the euphonium, though," she continued as if Kumiko were not in earshot. "It's too fitting."

"I know, right. 'Cause euphonium players are probably the weirdest around—"

Kumiko loudly cleared her throat. "I can hear you guys, y'know."

"We know," Reina smirked. Addressing Shuuichi again, she asked, "You two have been friends since you were little, right?"

"Yeah, so I've got all sorts of dirt on her," Shuuichi snickered. "Oh! Like, one year, our families were having Thanksgiving together, and you won't believe that Kumiko did." He paused for dramatic emphasis. "She licked the turkey."

"Oh my gosh, I remember that!" Akiko cried out. "And we didn't know about it later until we saw it on our home videos!"

Reina laughed behind her hand, trying and failing hard to hide her amusement. "Kumiko, why did you lick the turkey?"

"I don't know I was really little and it looked good okay!" Kumiko yelped out in one embarrassed breath. "Why are you guys making fun of me all of a sudden?"

Akiko decided to answer, "Oh, Shuuichi's teasing you because he _likes_ you, honey." A 'knowing' smile crossed her face, giving Kumiko a wink. "Isn't that right, Shuuichi?"

"Uhhh," the boy responded, dumbfounded. "I like making fun of her, if that's what you mean, ma'am."

"Such a typical boy thing to do," Akiko wistfully continued, fond memories of innocent playground antics dancing through her head. "Always teasing the girl they like."

"Uhhh," Kumiko then said, now feeling extremely nauseous. "No. He just likes to make my life difficult."

Reina tried to salvage the situation, "I'd like to hear more stories about you as a kid, Kumiko."

"Oh, I think there's some photo albums over there," Shuuichi recalled, pointing at a nearby bookshelf.

"No! No baby photos!" Kumiko declared, grabbing the ready bowl of cauliflower to bring to the table. "Dinner's almost ready!"

"Aww," Reina pouted.

"…Maybe later," she gave in at the sight of Reina's puppy dog eyes.

"Did someone say dinner?" Mr. Oumae spoke up, re-entering the house through the sliding door that led to the backyard. He had been out there tending to his other beloved plants (and sneaking in a cigarette or two). "Oh, great, another mouth to feed," he joked as he approached from behind, giving Shuuichi a little-too-hard but friendly smack on the upper back before taking his seat to the left of him. "Did you cut some yards today to work up an appetite?"

"Ah, no, sir," Shuuichi replied, slightly wincing. "Business has been kinda slow lately. I actually went on a date today!"

Akiko gasped. "A date? With who?" She seemed downright devastated. "Why haven't you ever asked Kumiko on a date? She's been waiting for _years_ , haven't you, honey?"

"No. No, I have not," Kumiko answered. A minute ago she was quite hungry, but the meal she had worked hard on with her mom now looked extremely unappealing.

"Oh, well, uh," Shuuichi continued, trying to redirect the conversation, "I asked Hazuki out—you know her, right?—and she's really cute, and fun, and likes me a lot, so. I think that'll go well."

"That's nice, but I can't help but be disappointed," Akiko despaired, shaking her head. "All these years, I thought you and Kumiko would make the cutest couple. Your mother and I would often joke about betrothing you two." Kumiko nearly gagged at that, but kept quiet. "You spent so much time together as kids—Kumiko would ask so often to go over to your house…"

"That's because he had a Super Nintendo," Kumiko defended herself. "And the Super Nintendo is cool."

Tadao stepped in, "Alright, give it a rest, honey," he gruffly chuckled. "They're clearly not interested. Besides, what makes you think he's good enough for my daughter?" Remembering that Shuuichi was sitting right there, he said to the boy, "Ehh, no offense. Or is it my daughter that's not good enough for _you_?"

"N-no, sir! She's very cute! She's… just… not my type!"

"I see," Mr. Oumae glared at him over the rims of his glasses.

"He's not my type either," Kumiko added.

"Oh, Kumiko, it never seems like any boy is your type," Akiko teased with a wave of her hand. "You should be less picky! What do you even like?"

"Oh, well… I like…" Her eyes flickered to Reina for a moment before she deliberately focused on her plate, similar to trying to engrave a design with a laser. "I like dark hair… and pretty eyes…" she began, trying not to be obvious. "And they've gotta be a talented musician… and smart…" Reina lightly kicked her underneath the table. "Ow."

"Well, I'm sure you'll find a man like that one day," Akiko stated, finishing placing the dishes on the table. "Alright, everyone, dig in!"

The three teenagers got very quiet. While everyone else began eating, Kumiko kept poking at her dinner, no signs of her appetite coming back.

* * *

"I'm sorry, bro," Shuuichi apologized, slipping his sneakers back on as Kumiko saw him out. "I didn't know your mom inviting me over was gonna lead to… that. Or that your girl was already here. That was really awkward."

"It's okay," Kumiko replied with a sigh that sounded like her soul was leaving as well. "You didn't know."

"You'd think that people would get the hint that we're not or aren't gonna be a couple, huh?"

"You'd be surprised."

Shuuichi frowned in concern. "Hey… uh… did you ever plan on telling them… about, y'know?"

Kumiko sharply inhaled, the possible outcomes of that washing over her like a tidal wave of anxiety. "I don't know," she finally responded.

"Well, I've always got your back, right? I'm here for you, dude. Like, worst case scenario, if you need a place to stay…"

"I don't want to think about that. But thanks, bro," Kumiko softly replied, giving him a fist bump. "I appreciate it." Shuuichi was about to turn and leave, but she stopped him. "Oh, one more thing. I'm glad your date with Hazuki went well. You better treat her good," she warned, gesturing with the fist she had formed at him.

"Of course!" Shuuichi insisted, mock offended. "I already got a warning about that from Midori. She's… ah… scary, in her own way. Anyway, see ya at school."

"See ya."

As the front door shut, Kumiko let out another sigh. She then made her way up the stairs to her room with what little energy she had left, relying on autopilot. With each step she took, it felt like her throat was getting tighter and tighter as a burning sensation built up from her chest.

Clicking the lock on her door shut, Kumiko apologized, "I'm really sorry about all that…"

Reina had been patiently waiting, sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's okay. You couldn't help it," she reassured, swinging her legs forward and backward. "So, what do you want to do now? Play a game? You wanted to get me back for beating you last time, right?"

"I… don't really want to…" Kumiko trailed off, still staring at the lock.

Reina tilted her head curiously. "Kumiko? Are you okay?"

Kumiko swallowed hard. Taking a shaky breath, she tried to answer, "I…" Unable to articulate, she simply shook her head no, and buried her face into her palms.

Reina immediately stood up, moving forward to wrap Kumiko in a hug. "Kumiko, sweetheart…" she started soothing her upset girlfriend. "Shh, shh… It's alright. It wasn't your fault…" Kumiko shook her head again. "What's wrong?"

The only answer Kumiko was able to give at the moment was a choked sob. So Reina let her cry, continuing to rub her back, as she tugged Kumiko towards the bed so they could sit down.

"I…" Kumiko attempted to speak again, her voice muffled against Reina's shoulder, but couldn't stop shaking. "It's…"

"Shh," Reina gently hushed again. "It's alright. Just let it out." Her shirt was starting to get damp from tears, but that was the least of her worries. "If you want to talk about it, you can do it whenever you're ready… Just take some deep breaths."

"I-I'm trying," Kumiko pitifully whined. Recovering her breath for a moment, she continued, sniffling, "I'm just tired… of all the _bullshit…_ " She desperately wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "H-how everyone expects that I should be with _Shuuichi_ , of all people. I'm so tired of it. S-sometimes I wish we weren't friends only 'cause I'm sick of people asking if we're a couple or trying to hook us up. My friends, my sister, my mom… even _you_ asked me one time…"

Reina cringed from guilt. "I'm sorry. That… that was because I felt jealous, and I didn't know why, so I wanted to ask, but it was before I realized I had a crush on you…"

A faint smile crossed Kumiko's face for a moment. "You're cute," she said, before getting somber again, "but… it still proves my point. All the time, I'm expected to end up with a man, being asked about a boyfriend or being told that I'll have a future husband… the thought makes me feel sick to my stomach. I've tried to like guys, but I can't…" Another shaky breath and a few coughs. "Is something wrong with me? Sh-should I try harder to be normal? But… being with you feels right… so why…"

Reina squeezed Kumiko closer, stopping the rambling waterfall of words. "I understand, sweetheart," she whispered.

"I wish I could tell my family… but I'm scared, Reina…"

"I know, I know. It is scary. It's okay."

"I don't want to be more of a disappointment than I already am…"

"You're not a disappointment." At the lack of reply, she insisted, "Kumiko. You're _not_."

"I _am_. And you _don't_ understand, Reina… Your parents are so cool and supportive. They care about you…"

"Your parents care about you too, silly," Reina sighed, her heart breaking more and more at the sounds of Kumiko's crying. "They just show it… in their own way."

"Wh-what should I do?"

"Listen," Reina said, soft but stern. "You don't have to tell them if you don't want to. I don't mind us staying a secret—well, to them, anyway—for however longer."

"B-but… what if they find out? What's gonna happen?"

Reina didn't have an answer to that question. "I don't know," she said, but she did know one thing. "But whatever happens, or whatever you decide, I'll be right by your side. 'Till death do us part." She held out her pinky finger, wanting to make a promise.

"That sounds like a marriage proposal," Kumiko said, wrapping her pinky around Reina's.

Reina smiled, tenderly caressing Kumiko's cheek with her other hand. "It's more like a vow."

They also sealed their deal with a kiss. For now, the mask was going to stay on.


	22. Disquiet

Kumiko held the pill bottle close to her face, having to squint to read the tiny text in the dim light.

 _'Kumiko Oumae. Alprazolam 0.5mg tablet. Take one tablet by mouth twice a day as needed for anxiety.'_

She tried not to rely on the medicine too much, like actually taking it twice a day as prescribed, but sometimes it was necessary. With a resigned sigh, she dropped one pill into her hand before downing it with a quick swig of tap water. It tasted bitter, but it was worth putting up with for the results.

"Kumiko? Are you okay?"

"Ack!" Kumiko jumped, startled. Reina was standing in the bathroom doorway in her cutely printed pajama pants and tank top, rubbing some sleep out of her eye. "Ah, yeah. Sorry," she apologized, feeling guilty. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," Reina said with a yawn. "I didn't feel you by my side, so I got worried…"

"So I _did_ wake you," Kumiko sighed. "But don't worry, I'm alright. I just can't sleep… but that's nothing new…"

Reina stepped closer, soothingly rubbing Kumiko's arm. "You have trouble sleeping a lot, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Is it anxiety?" Kumiko nodded. "Did you take one of your anxiety pills?" Another nod. "How long do those take to kick in?"

"About 30 minutes."

"I see… Come on back to bed," Reina tugged her forward. "I'll rub your back until you fall asleep."

Kumiko's eyes watered up with tears of emotion and appreciation, letting herself be led back into the inky blackness of her bedroom by the gentle grip on her wrist. "I don't deserve you…" she said, intending to be nearly silent, but was loud enough.

Reina immediately turned around to firmly reply, "Of course you do. You deserve the best."

"You _are_ the best, and I don't deserve you."

"Shush," Reina ordered, lifting up the covers and quilt to crawl back into bed, Kumiko right behind her. "Don't say things like that."

When the two normally slept together ( _just_ sleeping, mind you), their positions would wind up as one of two scenarios: Reina clinging to Kumiko, using her upper arm/shoulder as a pillow; or, Kumiko would have her arms wrapped around Reina from behind, acting as the 'big spoon.'

For the moment, the two faced each other. Reina opened her arms to pull Kumiko into a comforting embrace, allowing the taller girl to use her chest as a pillow (a _very_ nice pillow, Kumiko would say). One of her hands played with Kumiko's hair and the other rubbed up and down her back, trying to calm down her nervous shaking.

At night, here in this bedroom, was most often when anxiety would strike. A dull whir from an air purifier provided the necessary white noise. If the things remained completely still, Kumiko's ears would start to ring, like the hissing of an unknown creature. It was like a beast was creeping in, bringing the walls closer and closer in, ready to suffocate her.

The only points in the dark were the tiny red lights scattered across the room belonging to the various idling electronics; but most obnoxiously, there were the blaring red digits from the alarm clock on the nightstand. That clock was often a source of contempt for Kumiko, harshly proclaiming the time rather than stating it, mocking her inability to sleep as each hour ticked by. Then, tauntingly, in the morning it would blare its horrid cry, cutting through any peace that had settled.

She really needed to get a new one.

Also, she could really use some stars. Like the ones Reina had on her ceiling. It would give her something to reach for.

"Reina," Kumiko quietly spoke up after a few minutes, feeling bad for keeping her girlfriend awake. "Can… can we talk until I fall asleep?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Reina softly replied, sounding like she wasn't fighting off slumber quite yet. "What's on your mind?"

"Ah—a lot of stuff. Feels like it's going a mile a minute. But… the first thing I wanted to say is that I'm sorry… about what I said earlier, like, when I brought up that you asked me about Shuuichi, and when I said you didn't understand…"

"It's okay. You were just upset."

"And… I'm also sorry for… being such a mess…"

"You're not a mess. You have an anxiety disorder. It's alright."

"Reeiiina…" Kumiko whined, tears of shame pricking at her eyes again.

"Shh. It's okay. You're okay," Reina soothed, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Actually, I've been doing some research on anxiety, like different treatments and what can help along with medicine."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. I want to help. 'Cause I love you."

"…Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you love me…?"

"Haven't we already gone over this, silly?" Reina playfully ruffled up Kumiko's curls. "You're cute, and funny, and sweet—"

Kumiko blurted out, "So you don't wish I was your boyfriend instead?"

"What? Where did that come from?"

"Ah, I mean… things would be easier if we both weren't girls, is all… I know you like to hold hands in public—which is totally fine with me!—but sometimes we get… weird looks and stuff… so I was wondering…"

"That doesn't bother me at all," Reina cut her off too. "I don't care if people think it's weird to hold hands with my girlfriend… Actually, can I ask you something?" Kumiko nodded. "When… when you were with Azusa…" she began, desperately fighting the jealousy building up. She knew it was silly to still get this way, but she was getting better, honest. "Were you this anxious about your relationship? Like about being found out?"

"Oh," Kumiko started, not expecting that question either. "Well…" she thought back, "I was anxious, yeah. I think I mentioned before that she was my 'secret girlfriend'—cause she was. It wasn't like now where you and I have got a whole group of supportive friends. It also felt… different? I enjoyed being with Azusa, of course, but I didn't really take it… seriously, I guess? I didn't really think about us being together forever or anything like that."

"I see," Reina thoughtfully hummed, taking in that explanation. "So you think about us being together forever?"

"Ah…" Kumiko squeaked in embarrassment. "Only if you are…"

"You're _so_ cute."

Kumiko chuckled. "Hey, that's my line."

"Do you believe in soulmates?"

"Huh?"

"From a practical standpoint, it seems unbelievable that out of all the hundreds of millions of people in the world, only two of them would be perfect for each other, and that they would able to find one another. But… I'm also a dreamer."

"You think we're soulmates?"

"Only if you are."

Kumiko scooted up so that they could meet eye-to-eye. "…Can I kiss you?" she shyly asked.

"It sounds like you're already feeling better," Reina smirked, giving Kumiko a little pinch on her hipbone. "You perv."

"Ow! Hey!" Kumiko squirmed at the continued pinching. "And nuh-uh! _You_ are. I know what you were thinking when you wanted to come over this weekend… giving me that look like you wanted to eat me up…"

"That's because you taste good."

"Geez, Reina…" Kumiko whined again as Reina started leaving lingering kisses around her mouth. "You're so embarrassing…" she managed to say before Reina cut her off again with a kiss.

They didn't say much else for many more minutes, their tongues too preoccupied to make words.

"Oh!" Kumiko recalled, managing to say one more thing. "I just remembered something really important."

"What?" Reina asked breathlessly.

"Natsuki and Hazuki kissed, didn't they? Not too long ago, right?! Maybe that's why Hazuki's acting so weird…"

Kumiko still couldn't see Reina's face clearly in the dark, but it was obvious that she was annoyed. "Seriously? You forgot? And you're asking me this right now?"

"Sorry. It popped into my head," Kumiko sheepishly chuckled. "So what do you think—"

"We can talk about that later," Reina practically growled, using her weight to pin Kumiko further down on the mattress as her hands continued to explore. "Right now, you can use that mouth of yours for other things."

"Yes, my love…"

* * *

Kumiko and Reina had stayed up a little too late last night talking, and, well, those 'other things'—so they ended up waking up much later in the morning, pushing it to the afternoon, which then pushed the limits of time because Reina had to be home by 1pm for a private trumpet lesson.

"Thank you for walking me to the door," Reina said, stepping into the foyer, shoes squeaking against the hardwood.

"Anytime, baby," Kumiko replied, still standing on the front step, needing to speak loud enough to be heard over the pounding of raindrops pelting her umbrella. "See you tomorrow. Love ya."

"Bye." Reina leaned in for a goodbye kiss, but had to stop, catching herself. Mr. Oumae was sitting his car right nearby, and could probably see them. He had driven her home, on account of the weather. Unrelenting rain had covered the street with sheets of water, sloshing down the gutters with the force of a river. It had been unusually stormy for this time of year. "Love you too," she smiled, giving Kumiko's hand a quick squeeze instead.

The two bid farewell. Kumiko hopped over the puddles to make it back to her father's car, opening the door as fast as possible. Sinking into the leather seat, she let out a loud sigh, trying to shake off as much water from the umbrella and herself as possible.

"Throw it in the back floorboard," Tadao told her, flipping the seat warmers on. His car was _much_ nicer than Kumiko's, decked out with a multitude of features. He wasn't the type of man to splurge on luxuries, preferring practicality over anything, but occasionally he liked to treat himself to some finer things in life when it felt well-earned. "That was nice of you to walk her to the door."

"Ah, yeah…"

"Seems like you two became fast friends," Tadao also noted, adjusting his trilby hat and the rear view mirror before backing out of the driveway. The wipers were on max speed. "She's always coming over lately."

"Is that okay?"

"Of course. She's a nice girl. Very respectful. Smart, too," he listed off with an affirmative nod. "I like her."

Hearing that eased some of Kumiko's worries. "Oh, awesome!" she said, feeling lighter with relief, but trying not to be too obvious. "I'm glad. She'll be happy to hear that…"

"Why, do I scare her?"

"You scare most of my friends, Dad," she teased.

"Aw," he frowned, playing along. "I thought I was nice? Like a big teddy bear, right?" Kumiko said nothing. "Your lack of response says otherwise."

"Ah, heh, heh…" Kumiko awkwardly laughed. "You can be a bit, eh… grumpy."

"It's true. I'm an old and grumpy guy." Tadao fiddled with the ashtray compartment on the driver's side door. "That reminds me… I wanted to apologize for being so snappy lately. I've been trying to quit smoking for a while now, and the nicotine withdrawals make me cranky."

Kumiko was well-aware of this. "It's okay," she said.

"My moods kinda go," he drew out the shape of a rollercoaster with his finger while making whistling noises, "all over the place, sometimes."

"Most of the time."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Kumiko snickered. Her father playfully poked her in the side at one of her ticklish spots. "Ack!"

Tadao chuckled. "Hey, did you get your homework done?"

"Sure did."

"Alright," he nodded, knowing that she was telling the truth. "Keep up the good work."

The two of them continued their journey back home, taking the last few minutes to appreciate the rainy day ride, raindrops drumming on the hood, and smooth jazz playing from the speakers. Kumiko settled further into the warm seat, also appreciating the time spent with her dad. It had seemed like they had seen less and less of each other lately, and when they did, it usually involved a lot of fussing and lecturing.

But right now, everything seemed alright.

Who knows, maybe things could turn out okay.

* * *

The next day at lunch, Midori was buzzing in her seat from anticipation and excitement, looking like a bottle rocket about to go off. When Hazuki showed up, and before she could even take her seat, Midori proclaimed, "Hazuki! I want to hear about all the details of your date!"

"You could've just called or texted me, y'know," Hazuki said, looking like she wasn't in the mood for this amount of energy. "You didn't have to wait."

"I wanted to hear it in person! And for us all to have girl talk!" Midori explained, gesturing to the quartet they had formed.

"So, how'd it go?" Kumiko asked, curious to hear Hazuki's side of things since she knew that Shuuichi had been pleased with the date. It sounded like a nice time, and that the pair had hit it off.

"Well, it was fun… We went to the mall, and the arcade. I kicked his butt in DDR," Hazuki laughed. "Oh, and we ate at this cute retro-looking burger place—kinda 1950s, y'know?—and he offered to pay for me, but I said no."

"What a gentleman!" Midori swooned, clasping her hands together. Old-timey romantic traditions popped into her fluffy head. "Did you two share a milkshake?"

"Uh, no."

"Hey, if someone offers to pay, take 'em up on it," Kumiko added. She smirked at Reina. "Right?"

"If I recall, next time it's _your_ turn to pay," Reina replied matter-of-factly.

"Aw, man. I was hoping you'd forget…"

"Anyway," Hazuki continued, interrupting the flirting, "like I said, it was fun. I wouldn't be opposed to going out with him again."

Midori frowned, getting brought back down to reality. "You don't sound very excited. Do you not like him anymore?"

"N-no, I do!" Hazuki giggled nervously, and a bit girlishly. "It's just… I expected it to be more… magical? And for him to be a little… cooler."

Kumiko started laughing. "This is _Shuuichi_ we're talking about. He's definitely not _cool._ Sometimes he's about as exciting as a piece of wet cardboard."

"Hey, be nice," Hazuki pouted. "He's a nice guy… but his taste in stuff is kinda… lame? It's cool and all that he plays games and watches anime too—it gave us stuff to talk about—but the stuff he likes is… kinda, uhh… I mean, he watches Naruto."

"What's a naruto?" Reina asked.

"They're those little things that float in ramen," Kumiko answered wisely.

"You _would_ know that."

"Not _those_ naruto! The show!"

"Those are just the kind of differences that will make you stronger as a couple, Hazuki. You'll get to share your interests wth each other," Midori advised, patting her best friend on the back comfortingly. "Not all love stories have a passionate beginning. Sometimes it takes a while to be in the throes of passion."

"But I don't wanna wait. I wanna be thrown _now!"_

"I know that I enjoy throe-ing Kumiko," Reina spoke up. "And throwing her."

Kumiko stared at her. "What the heck, Reina. You've never thrown me around."

"But I could."

Hazuki ripped open her bag of chips a little too forcefully. "It's not fair," she began to mutter in between her munching and crunching, "You guys are too cute…"

Midori smiled sympathetically. "You and Shuuichi are cute together, too. It'll be alright. Give it some time…"

"I was hoping that my first date could be with someone cooler… someone cool, like… like…"

"Natsuki?" Reina asked.

Hazuki nearly choked on a Dorito. Midori started patting her back again, but to help dislodge the chip. "Wh-what?! Who said anything about Natsuki?!"

"She's the coolest girl _I_ know," Reina explained. "Right?" she asked, wanting Kumiko's opinion.

" _I'm_ not the coolest girl you know?" Kumiko asked, pointing to herself and pouting.

"No. You're a weird and awkward nerd."

"Aww…"

"But that's why I love you."

"Aww!"

"Natsuki _is_ really cool," Midori sighed. "She's so pretty, too. It's not surprising that so many of the freshman in our band have crushes on her."

"Wh-what? Crushes? On Natsuki?"

"Yeah," Kumiko confirmed. "Her and Asuka are like the ultimate tag team duo of gay awakenings."

"Oh," Hazuki replied, eyes going wide as saucers and face paling. "Oh no, oh no, oh no…" she started repeating quietly.

"Hazuki?" Midori asked, concerned again. "Are you alright?"

"I—I just remembered—I have somewhere to be!" Hazuki abruptly stood up, scooping her food back into her lunchbox and gathering her things with frantic desperation. "I'll see you guys later!" she called over her shoulder, dashing off.

The rest of them were left dumbfounded as to what just happened. "Huh," Kumiko said. "That was weird."

* * *

After lunch, Kumiko made her way through unfamiliar territory, the faded green lockers lined up along the walls like soldiers at attention. She didn't look _too_ out of place weaving through the battlefield of mostly juniors, other than being a stranger to the vast majority of them. Thankfully, before she could get more weird looks, she found her target.

"Natsuki!" she called.

Natsuki looked up in surprise, not expecting her best bud to be down at this part of the school. "Hey, kid," she greeted, but needed to catch a couple of worksheets that fell out of her locker. The contents inside were precariously balanced, resembling the Tower of Pisa. So nothing else would fall out, she slammed the locker door shut, causing more of the paint to chip off the edges. "What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you something," Kumiko said, stepping closer and out of the way of student traffic.

"Must be important since you came all the way over here."

"Yeah, you could say that. So…" Kumiko began, unsure how to broach the subject, but went in for the kill anyway, "about that time you kissed Hazuki…"

"Erk," Natsuki sheepishly scratched the back of her head, looking embarrassed. "I was hoping you forgot about that…"

"I did, actually, but Hazuki's been acting… weird lately. Every time we mention you around her, she gets all defensive and antsy."

"Talking about me when I'm not around, eh?"

"We didn't say anything _too_ bad," Kumiko grinned.

"Uh huh. So she acts weird when you talk about me?"

Kumiko nodded in confirmation. "What exactly happened with that kiss, anyway?"

"Kiss _es_ , to be precise," Natsuki smirked. "Don't repeat this to anyone, alright?" Kumiko leaned in closer. "What happened was that she said she had been confused lately, and wanted to kiss a girl to see if she liked it. I just happened to be her first pick."

"And did she like it?"

"Of course she liked it! It was me, for goodness sake! Geez…" Natsuki crossed her arms. "But now she's acting weird? What the heck…" Her face lit up in realization. "Oh man."

"What?"

"Oops, I think I did it… again! I've made a girl fall head over heels in love with me."

"Pffft. Sure."

"That's gotta be it!" Natsuki decided, ignoring Kumiko's incredulous response. "Oh man, this is _great…_ Thanks for telling me, kid!"

"You better not do anything stupid."

"Don't worry, I won't," Natsuki patted Kumiko on the back before heading to class. Looking back over her shoulder, she added one more thing, "But I will do something fun."

* * *

"Hey, tiny tuba!" Natsuki enthusiastically greeted Hazuki in the instrument storage room, as she often did, draping an arm over her shoulders. "How goes it?"

Hazuki tried not to scream from having such a pretty girl being so close to her face—had Natsuki _always_ been this pretty? Her eyes were so lovely, and her smile was so cute, and her voice was so nice _—_ so she settled for, "I'm fine."

"I saw you on your date with big, tall, and weird," Natsuki continued, of course referring to Shuuichi. "How'd that go?"

"It was fun…" Hazuki started, immediately missing Natsuki's touch when she let her arm drop back to her side. For some reason. "He's very nice. I kicked his butt in DDR," she bragged again.

"Nice!" Natsuki flashed a thumbs-up and an extra dazzling smile.

"And… Hey! If you saw us, how come you didn't say hello?"

"Ehh, I didn't want to interrupt the 'magic.'"

"I wouldn't call it _magical_ … but it was fun."

Natsuki nodded, satisfied to hear that, before her grin turned a bit mischievous. "I gotta say, you looked really cute that day. I mean, you're always cute, but that day you were _especially_ cute."

Hazuki started internally screaming, face burning with a blush. "O-oh, yeah? Th-thanks…"

Unbeknownst why, Natsuki appeared satisfied as that response as well. "Alright, grab your stuff, Hazuki," she winked, making Hazuki blush deeper, "we've gotta get to practicin!"

"O-okay," Hazuki croaked out. When Natsuki left the room, she started smacking her cheeks, trying to will the redness away. "What is wrong with me?!" she softly screamed to herself.

* * *

Natsuki strolled to the band room, euphonium now in hand, but something caught her attention on the way back. Yuuko was rinsing off her mouthpiece (and emptying the spit valve—gross, but necessary) in a nearby set of sinks often used by the band for that purpose.

"Hello, princess," Natsuki smoothly greeted, also smoothly sliding up next to her girlfriend.

The nickname got some snickers from the other girls cleaning up nearby. "Don't call me princess at school," she hissed under her breath, bristling up like a bunny ready to fight. "It's too embarrassing."

"Okay, Your Highness."

More giggles. "Call me by my name!"

"Alright, Miss Yoshikawa. I wanted to tell you something inter-est-ting~" Natsuki singsonged, but waited for the french horn player and trombonist to make their exit. When they did, she continued with a whisper, "I think another girl has a crush on me."

Yuuko's mouthpiece loudly clattered into the sink. "What? Who?! I will… kill her."

"Whoa!" Natsuki's eyebrows rose in surprise. "That's quite the reaction. No need for bloodshed, baby."

"Don't call me 'baby,' either," Yuuko ordered, using her free hand to grab Natsuki's shirt collar. "And you better not be flirting with other girls."

"I'm not flirting with anybody," Natsuki answered calmly, unfazed by the sudden fury. "Except you, of course. I'm lovable enough without needing to try. Don't you agree?"

Yuuko's grip on her girlfriend's collar got a little looser—that smooth tone, wink, and stare Natsuki had used effectively turning her into jelly. "Hmph," she grunted, not wanting to agree (even if she did). "So, who is it?"

Natsuki awkwardly chuckled. "Now I don't want to tell you. Actually, I think I've said too much… I want to protect the innocent."

"Whatever," Yuuko sighed. "I don't have time for your nonsense right now. I'm very stressed."

"What about?"

"My section. In case you didn't know, trumpet players are generally a huge pain in the ass."

"Oh, trust me, I know. Ow," she said when Yuuko lightly swatted her arm.

"Be quiet."

"You guys could take some cues from the bass section. We're all one big happy family of various sizes! Somehow, Asuka keeps it all together… So if you guys have got problems, isn't Kaori doing anything about it?"

"She… well… to be honest, she's _too_ nice. She's a great section leader in terms of talent," Yuuko couldn't help but swoon at the thought of her playing, making it Natsuki's turn to be jealous, "but she's not exactly the best at keeping people in line, especially when they're all fighting and hissing at each other like a bunch of cats."

"I guess it's a good thing you're taking over next year, huh," Natsuki sincerely stated. "And being the band prez."

"That's right," Yuuko firmly nodded.

"And I'll be your dutiful VP."

"…What?!"

"Asuka wants me to take the position, y'know. Doesn't that sound great?"

"That sounds…" Words floated through Yuuko's mind: fun, lovely, amazing… but she settled on, "Miserable."

Natsuki laughed. "I agree," she smiled. "If we last that long. I might get fed up with you."

Yuuko swatted her again. "Not if I get fed up with you first!" Suddenly conscious of the time, she checked her watch and started panicking. "We've got to get back! Ms. Yamanaka's got an important announcement today—" Her quick pace back was suddenly halted with a grab of her wrist. "What?"

Natsuki looked down at the floor, unable to make eye contact for her next question. "Hey… about Kaori…" her voice got even quieter, "You're not still crushing on her, are you?"

"And _you're_ not still worried about that, are you?" Yuuko freed her hand so she could tenderly brush some hair from Natsuki's face.

"You _were_ hung up on her for a while, so… I thought I'd ask."

Yuuko glanced around, making sure they were alone before giving Natsuki some much-needed affection. "Don't worry," she reassured, giving her girlfriend a lingering kiss on the cheek. "My eyes are only set on you."

"I'm glad," Natsuki sheepishly smiled, visibly relieved. "I like you a lot too…" The two of them stood together in an embarrassed and one armed embrace for a few moments, their instruments getting in the way. "H-hey. Valentine's Day is tomorrow… Did you want to do something?"

"Like what?"

"Like… I dunno. Come over to my house after school and make out for a few hours. Or other things," Natsuki grinned, waggling her eyebrows.

"Wow. You've ruined the mood." Yuuko quickly turned on her heel. "I'm going to practice now."

"Wait up, short stuff!"

"For the last time…!"

Their ranting, arguing, and bickering continued all the way down the hall. Truly, love was in the air… Even for the ones who showed it in their own weird ways.


	23. Signs of Love

a/n: Hello! Long time no see. I apologize for the latest unintentional hiatus. Life's been a little busy for me again—in between having an out-of-state friend visit and stay with me for 2 weeks, a weekend-long convention, another friend's wedding, on top of working full-time—it's hard to find the time _and_ mental energy to write. My job requires long days in front of the computer, so it's difficult to sit down and work on writing when I get home, usually leaving me only with spare time I can find on the weekends.

Anyway, my goal is to finish this fic before it turns a year old. I can't believe I've been working on it for that long, and that some of you have been along for the entire ride. Wowzers. So thank you for waiting, and for reading. Please enjoy.

* * *

"Alright, everyone, let's quiet down," Ms. Yamanaka, band director for North Kite High School commanded with a clap of her hands. The 83 students immediately focused their attention to the front of the room. Yamanaka always got the respect she deserved from her students, thanks to her talent and style, despite her relative inexperience and youthful appearance. She was also the type of teacher who went above and beyond—but only for those who put the effort in.

Her podium was heavy with a stack of papers, which she divided up and handed to Haruka and Asuka, who were standing dutifully nearby. She explained, "We'll be chartering two buses to travel to the event. Miss Haruka and Miss Asuka are passing out the permission slips. Please make sure you get yours turned back in before the end of the month, or you will not be able to participate."

Kumiko whispered to Natsuki next to her, "So make sure you don't forget."

"Who do you take me for?" Natsuki whispered back, sticking her tongue out. "I won't forget. Besides, if I did, Yuuko'd give me hell." Natsuki glanced to the side, but didn't turn around, as if afraid of what was behind her. "I think I can feel her fiery gaze already. Is she looking at me?"

"Quit your chattering!" Asuka ordered, playfully thwacking Natsuki on top of her head—then ruffling up Kumiko's hair—before giving them the sheets to pass down their row.

"Ow!"

"Thank you, Miss Asuka," Yamanaka mirthfully smiled, appreciating a bit of corporal punishment now and again. That was another thing that had driven off the slackers. "I know you're all excited about the upcoming trip, but there will be more time to discuss that later." The students shuffled to place their papers into their bags and get re-situated with their instruments. When a calm had settled again, and with the everyone ready, the director announced with a raise of her baton, "Now let's get started."

* * *

Soon, the order was given to stop, and the sound halted in the room like dust clouds settling in the desert. "Clarinets, a little louder. I can almost barely hear you," was Yamanaka first comment. "Drums, you're rushing a bit… And trumpets." Adjusting her glasses, she gave that group an unimpressed glance. "Which one of you came in late?"

The trumpeters looked back and forth between each other, all knowing the answer, but waiting to see who would admit to it.

A hand shot into the air, bracelets jangling loudly and nails painted bright blue and pink. You couldn't miss it. "Ms. Yamanaka!" its owner spoke up. It was Mina. "It was definitely Reina."

"Excuse me?" Reina turned to her left, looking at the brunette as if she had two heads. "I certainly did not. I was on time."

"Were you?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, she was!" Yuuko defiantly chirped in agreement, sitting on Reina's right.

"Since when are you on her side, Yuuko?" Mina asked, pointing an accusatory finger and narrowing her brown eyes.

"There's no 'side' to be on," Reina said. "There's being right and wrong."

"Yeah!" Yuuko said again. "And we all know you're wrong. You're the one who came in late."

" _You're_ wrong!" Mina snapped back.

Kaori looked like she was waiting for a moment to interject, her expression betraying a well-known fatigue and familiarity from constantly trying to handle these sorts of situations. Also as usual, she wasn't able to get a word in edgewise. The girls continued bickering, sounding like a trio of squabbling birds.

"Ladies, ladies! Please!" Yamanaka interrupted, slapping her baton down like a judge trying to call a court into order. "I wasn't asking for a debate on the matter. I already know the answer." Another unimpressed look was sent directly to Mina. "Miss Namaki," she continued, addressing the junior by her last name, "I would appreciate it if we could keep the disturbances down to a minimum. And also come in on time."

"Yes, ma'am," Mina responded, looking down in shameful embarrassment. Before they could pick up where they left off, Mina managed a glare at Reina. Her high cheekbones, sharp features, and unusually sharp canine teeth made her resemble a snarling animal.

Meanwhile, Kumiko had watched the entire exchange in concern. "Rawr," she heard one of the few boys in the band say behind her, creating some laughs in response, which only increased her annoyance.

That Mina Namaki was clearly nothing but trouble. Nobody messed with her Reina.

* * *

Reina had been feeling a bit down after practice the day before, but now it was a new day, and her spirits were higher. It was Valentine's Day! And she had a wonderful, sweet, and extremely cute girlfriend to spend it with. What could be better?

However, said girlfriend was also driving her crazy.

On top of being as adorable as she usually was, Kumiko just _had_ to wear her glasses today. It was almost too much for Reina to handle, as she tried desperately to focus on her studies during this free 2nd period. Kumiko stated that she had been in a rush this morning and didn't have time to put her contacts in, but Reina took that story with a grain of salt. It _must_ have been on purpose, a dastardly ploy to get her as hot and bothered as possible. Not that she would fall for such a stunt.

But damnit, it was working.

Kumiko didn't seem to notice the longing glances Reina kept directing her way. The new year's resolution she ad made was to improve her grades, and so far she had stuck to it. It was an admirable effort, to be sure, but at the moment, it was infuriating for Reina to have Kumiko's attention directed so thoroughly on something other than her.

So, she wrote a note. _'You look really cute today_ ,' was the message she passed over to Kumiko, sitting on her left.

Kumiko perked up at the compliment. Smiling, she wrote back, _'Thanks. So do you.'_

 _'You're also really sexy,'_ was the next note.

 _'Thanks. So are you,'_ Kumiko wrote again, adding a wink.

 _'I really want to kiss you right now.'_ Reina's usual neat script looked more rushed.

Kumiko sheepishly chuckled. _'Me too, but settle down.'_

Reina pouted, staring down at their exchange on the paper passed back to her, wondering what to quip next. Then, she was struck with a brilliant idea, writing, _'Is your 3rd period class super important?'_ Kumiko shook her head no, raising an eyebrow. _'So it wouldn't matter if you're late?'_ Kumiko nodded. _'I forgot something in your car and I need to go get it.'_

After class, the pair made their way out to the parking lot. Kumiko offered for Reina to borrow her car keys, but Reina _insisted_ on having the company.

"So, what did you forget?" Kumiko asked again, having never received clarification.

"I'll know when I see it," Reina answered mysteriously, opening the front passenger's side door and pretending to look. "Hm. Could it have slipped to the back somewhere?" She placed her book bag and trumpet case in the seat before reaching to unlock the back door. "Give me your book bag too."

"What?" Kumiko asked. "Why?" Reina didn't answer, but she followed the order anyway. "You're acting really weird."

"Am I?"

"What are you up to—aaaugh!"

In a swift series of motions, Reina tossed Kumiko's book bag into the car, closed the front door, grabbed Kumiko by the front of her hoodie, opened the back door, and threw her inside the vehicle.

"Reina, what the heck—" Kumiko started sputtering, now haphazardly sprawled in the backseat. Reina quickly proceeded to pounce on her, shutting the door behind them. "I knew you were up to something—mmmph…" Her whining was quickly silenced by Reina's lips on hers, and sooner than expected, her tongue.

Ever since their first time together, Reina had become practically insatiable. The affection was already almost overwhelming. Kumiko would describe kissing Reina like jumping into a very deep and refreshing pool, but now this passion was like deep-diving with not enough oxygen in her tank.

"Is this okay?"

Kumiko gasped, trying to catch her breath. "You're asking me that after you shoved your tongue in my mouth? Mm, ah…" She squirmed and sighed at the feeling of lips on her neck. "Reina… Hey, this is sexual harassment…"

"Is it really harassment if the advances are wanted?"

"Reeeiiina…" Kumiko whined again. "You're taking advantage of me."

"Am I?"

"Yeah, but… I guess I don't mind…" Making out in her car in the middle of the day—in the school parking lot of, all places—probably wasn't the best idea. Common sense had since been discarded, along with the agreement between them that there would be no kissing while at school.

As Reina often said, some rules were made to be broken. Wanting to be closer, she unzipped the front of Kumiko's hoodie, removing a layer between them. However, it was the mood that was also broken by some manner of silliness—and as usual, it was Kumiko's fault. At the sight of Kumiko's shirt, Reina asked through her incredulous laughter, "What is that?"

"What?" On the front of Kumiko black shirt was the picture of a hamster, with a giant slice of pizza, with large white text that read 'WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE.' " _What?"_ she repeated.

"That's the dumbest shirt I've ever seen."

"Hey!" Kumiko frowned in offense. "I like it!"

Unable to hold her weight up any longer, Reina fully lowered herself down on Kumiko, overcome by giggling. The ridiculousness of the situation was not lost on Kumiko either, who joined in the laughter.

There was movement from outside the car. "What was that?" it was Kumiko's turn to ask, but in a panic. The two of them popped their heads up to spy out the back window, where they saw Nozomi and Mizore continuing to sneak by. "Oh," she breathed out in relief, but not expecting to see them. "Looks like they had the same idea. I wonder who thought of it?"

"I guarantee that it was Mizore," Reina whispered back, more familiar with the pair.

At that moment, Mizore pushed Nozomi into the backseat of _her_ car. Great minds thought alike.

* * *

Back in the school, things were calmer, as 3rd period had started.

"There you are," Yuuko stated at Natsuki's appearance, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor outside near their shared class—which they intended to skip. "Don't you know that it's not good to keep a lady waiting?"

Natsuki grinned, cooly shifting her backpack from one shoulder to the other. "I like to think the anticipation makes me more worth it."

"Whatever," Yuuko curtly replied. "So where are we going?"

"Hmm," Natsuki thoughtfully hummed, looking at nothing in particular down the now-empty hallway. "My house?"

Yuuko crinkled her nose in mild disgust. "I was hoping to be whisked away somewhere magical… not to your room. It's dark in there and smells weird."

"Okay, first of all, you said my room smelled good," Natsuki argued. "Second of all, how can you be whisked away if you're the one driving—"

"I said it smelled better than I expected, as in not a garbage dump!"

"Oh, so I smell better than garbage. Lovely. Happy Valentine's Day to you too." Natsuki turned on her heel, acting like she was about to walk away, but Yuuko stopped her.

"I wanna go somewhere and spend time with you, you idiot!"

"So do I! You look really cute today!" Natsuki yelled back.

It was always hard to be honest.

"…Let's go to my house," Yuuko suggested after a moment of quiet, emotions simmering down.

"Oh. O-okay," Natsuki cleared her throat. Yuuko looked nervous, which only made _her_ more nervous. "Isn't that a bit too forward—"

"Do you want to go or not?!"

"I do! Let's go!"

* * *

Reina and Kumiko soon left the school grounds, concerned about being actually caught, startled by the close call. They were unbeknownst to Natsuki and Yuuko's plan to leave school as well, and if _that_ pair had found out what they had been up to earlier, there would be no end to the teasing.

"What if a cop finds us and writes us up for truancy or something?" Kumiko asked nervously as they walked downtown, heading towards the park. She was looking all around like a meerkat on patrol, giving new meaning to the term 'head on a swivel.'

"Stop worrying," Reina told her for the 5th time. "If anyone asks, we'll say that we're in college."

"Maybe _you_ look like you're in college… but I don't," Kumiko pouted.

"Are you saying I look old?"

"No, you look… mature."

"Stop looking at my chest."

"I—I wasn't!" Kumiko squawked. Reina hadn't even been looking right at her. "Not right then, anyway…"

"What?"

"So, uh, where are we going?" Kumiko diverted the conversation as Reina found the correct path to take, stepping down a few steps from the sidewalk street down to a new path leading down deeper into the park.

"There's a spot further down off this trail I'd like to set our blanket on," Reina answered, leading with a gentle grip on Kumiko's elbow, her other hand holding the bag at her insistence. "It's a nice view over the river."

The sidewalk snaked down into different paths, looping around trees and under some man-made bridges, running up against a natural river that cut through the city. Right now, considering the time of day, passersby were few and far between aside from the occasional jogger or dog walker. Thankfully, those patrons were too absorbed in their own little worlds to care about the girls they walked by, also in theirs.

It wasn't _too_ chilly today, Kumiko noted to herself, the temperature leaning towards the higher average this time of year. The sky was overcast, but the wind remained at bay. "You're not cold, are you?" Kumiko asked her girlfriend anyway.

"I'm fine," she replied. Reina was appropriately dressed today, but maybe not so much for a hike down and up a trail, her heels clacking against the cement. Why she was wearing heels today, Kumiko wasn't sure. Even so, Reina was still shorter than her. "What are you snickering at?"

"Nothing," Kumiko smiled, fighting her nervousness to hold Reina's hand. "Your hand's cold, though."

"They're always cold. It must be because I'm cold-blooded."

"You are not," Kumiko nudged her with her shoulder. "They say cold hands mean a warm heart."

Reina gave a sheepish smile in response to the sentiment. A few quacks from the riverbank grabbed her attention. "Aww, look at the ducks," she said. The birds were doing as ducks do, floating and bobbing up and down in the cold water. "They're so cute."

Kumiko grinned. "Not as cute as you."

"Dork."

* * *

"Can you believe Nozomi and Mizore?" Yuuko continued to rant as she pulled into the driveway, overaggressively yanking the parking break up. "They're so _sweet_ it's _disgusting_." By the time Natsuki and Yuuko happened to come across them, the lovey-dovey longtime couple had thankfully found some decency. They mentioned that they planned to go to a local cafe, maybe share a milkshake, at Nozomi's suggestion.

Natsuki's own bitching came to an end as she took in the house they had pulled in front of. "Uh, yeah, they're gross…" she trailed off, in awe.

"What?" Yuuko asked, now self-conscious.

"This is your house?"

"Yes… What about it?"

Natsuki whistled, impressed. "It's even bigger than Kousaka's house," she commented. To think that she and Kumiko would be fortunate enough to snag girls with brains, beauty, _and_ who came from families clearly on the 'upper' side of class. Not that they weren't fortunate themselves, sitting somewhere in the middle of class, but their parents had to work hard for it. Instead of complimenting Yuuko on her home, Natsuki decided to throw in a jab, "I can see why you're spoiled."

Yuuko didn't reply, leaving Natsuki in the car, who started complaining again. "Hey, don't leave me out here!"

No parents, no pets, no disturbances—just two girls alone in one big house. On Valentine's Day. Natsuki would've bounded up the stairs two steps at a time had Yuuko not been leading the way. However, when Natsuki finally made her way into the princesses' chambers, she was brought to an abrupt stop.

"Ack," Natsuki began clinging to the doorframe, slowly sinking down to the plush carpet.

"What is it?" Yuuko immediately turned around in genuine concern, rushing to her girlfriend's side. "Are you okay?"

"It's… way too cute in here… I can't even…" Natsuki dramatically croaked out.

Any concern Yuuko had instantly evaporated. "For goodness sake. Stop being such a dumbass."

Natsuki snickered as she rose again to her feet, ready to openly appraise Yuuko's room as the girl had done to hers. Indeed, it was too cute to handle. The room was the epitome of femininity. Neat and tidy, decorated with soft and muted pastel colors, paired with white-painted furniture. Stuffed animals of different shapes and sizes sat around the room, most of them displayed on a chest sitting in front of the bed. True to Yuuko's 'princess' status, it was a canopy bed. Which Natsuki quickly made herself at home on, making a diving leap onto the plush comforter, sinking in like one might sink into a cloud. "So soft!" she cried.

Yuuko laid down next to her, much more gracefully. "It's a lot more comfortable than your small, smelly futon."

"My futon isn't smelly, but I'll agree that this bed is way more comfortable." Natsuki rolled onto her side to face Yuuko, propping her head up on her elbow. "Your room's really cute," she sincerely smiled. "You're so feminine."

Yuuko subtly scooted closer. "Thank you."

A nervous energy was crackling between them, like the sparks of a campfire. Both were tempted to reach out and touch the other, like one would be drawn to a flame, but there was always the fear of getting burned.

Natsuki instead fiddled with a wayward thread. "Yuuko—"

"Natsuki—"

Some much needed giggles escaped, calming their nervousness. "You first," Natsuki offered.

"No, you," Yuuko insisted, feeling shy.

"I was going to say… that…" Natsuki faltered on her words for a moment. Instead of her original intent, she relied on humor to keep the mood light, "That since you've brought me back to your house, you must want to have your way with me."

Yuuko instantly colored, flames of a blush burning her cheeks. "What gave you that idea?!"

"Well, we're alone, on Valentine's Day, on your bed…" Natsuki was determined to keep the upper hand here, not wanting to admit out loud what she—what they _both_ wanted to do. "I know, I'm very irresistible! You can't help your desires—"

"Shut up," she huffed. "Don't flatter yourself."

Neither said anything further. Natsuki scooted closer this time. "…Am I wrong?" she asked quietly.

"…No."

"Have you…" Natsuki cleared her throat. "Ever been with anyone… like that, er, like this, before?"

"…No."

"Me neither. But, uh," Natsuki started fiddling with the ribbon on Yuuko's head instead. "I really want to. With you, I mean."

"Me too." They were now pressed flush against each other. Having no needs for words, they shared a lingering, gentle kiss, fully confirming and communicating their desires. "Natsuki…"

But, Natsuki couldn't resist another joke. "Well, then, let's get bangin'!"

"Oh my god."

* * *

Kumiko and Reina had settled on the perfect spot, making themselves comfortable on the blanket Reina had packed in her bag for their picnic. They sat in a slightly secluded spot off of a trail, at the edge of where the slow-moving river dropped down to a waterfall about 5 meters tall. There was a sense of calm in the area, the only sounds around from chirping birds, quacking ducks, and the slow-moving dripping of the water current.

The couple sat in appreciation of the serene tranquility and each other's presences, leaning against each other. Kumiko glanced down to also admire Reina's profile close-up—and also appreciate the ponytail. She did indeed wear her glasses today to appeal to Reina's interests, and Reina must have done the same by wearing her hair up. Why, it was almost tempting to…

"K-Kumiko?" Reina was startled out of her reprieve by a sudden and unexpected sensation on her ear. "What on earth—?"

Kumiko wolfishly grinned. "Your ear looked soft, so I wanted to bite it."

"My gosh…" Reina muttered to herself, looking away, trying to recover. Both of her ears began turning red from embarrassment (and excitement). With new purpose, she began looking through her bag for something, piquing Kumiko's interest. "I got you something."

"Is it edible?" Kumiko asked excitedly.

"No," Reina laughed. "Please don't eat it." She presented a small, narrow wrapped box adorned with a simple red ribbon. "I hope you like it…"

"I'm sure I will," Kumiko reassured. "Even if it's not edible." Inside the box was a necklace, sterling silver chain and charm shaped like a bass clef. "Aw, how pretty!"

"Now we match, sort of." Reina shyly fiddled with the treble clef charm hanging from her own necklace. "Do you like it?"

"I love it! Thank you. I wanna put this on right now."

Reina smiled at the genuine excitement. "I'll get it." With a deliberate slowness and delicate touch, she removed the necklace from its container, placing it around its new home around Kumiko's neck. Her hands lingered on her shoulders.

"Are you being shy?" Kumiko teased, noticing how Reina stopped meeting her gaze. A quiet 'no' was pouted out, and Kumiko grabbed Reina's wrists before Reina could cover her face with her hands. "Liar." It was so cute how Reina could flip between so confident to so demure in the blink of an eye. "I got you something too… I hope you like it…"

"I'm sure I will," Reina repeated back. The small box had been hidden in a pocket within Kumiko's jacket, which fit perfectly in the palm of Reina's hand. There was a printed note on top of the contents inside, which Reina read out loud, "The red string of fate. The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break."

"Yeah, Kumiko sheepishly replied, rubbing the back of her neck. Having Reina state the sentiment out loud made her feel even more embarrassed. "I saw them in a store and thought of you…" Twiddling her fingers, she continued, "Y'know, what you said about soulmates and stuff… if you remember that…"

"I do," Reina kindly chuckled, cheeks tinged with a little pink. "Thank you, Kumiko. This is very sweet."

"You're welcome, Reina… And, uh… I wanted to thank you for, uh, being my girlfriend and always being there for me and stuff… so, yeah. Like when I was upset the other day…"

"Of course." Following Kumiko's lead, she wrapped her new bracelet around her left wrist. The red 'thread' was a braided cord, intended to withstand regular wear while being cutely fashionable at the same time. She prompted for Kumiko to present her right wrist so she could tie the other one. "And it's okay. You've already seen me cry, too. It probably won't be the last."

"You _are_ a crybaby," Kumiko chuckled, now fiddling with the new bracelet. "I'm glad you like the present. I was worried you would think it was lame or too forward or something."

"Well, I love it," Reina confirmed, entwining her hands. They were now officially tied together. "And I love you."

"I love you too, but that's really cheesy."

"Look who's talking… Oh, I want to take a picture." Reina fished her phone from her pocket. "To commemorate the moment."

Kumiko smiled. "You're so sentimental." Reflexively, she attempted to fix some wayward bangs of hers before the moment was documented. The two scooted back closer together, smiling for the photo. "Gonna put it on Instagram?"

"Yep." A tiny, satisfied smile crossed Reina's lips, admiring the picture, and contemplating the best filter for it.

"Your Instagram is so artsy."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Maybe," Kumiko grinned.

"The better question is when are you _not_ making fun of me," Reina huffed, putting her phone away again. "You've been doing it every day since we met." She paused for emphasis. "You called me short."

Kumiko laughed. "But you are!"

"Terrible."

"Aw, baby…" Kumiko crooned, squeezing her close. "I can't help it! Teasing you is so much fun."

"So I've noticed," Reina began giggling from Kumiko lightly tickling her sides, but really started squirming when she felt lips on her ear again. "Nooo!" she girlishly cried, trying to escape her affectionate girlfriend's touches.

"You can't get away from me, Reina!"

The girls' light tussle and laughter were then interrupted by a loud rumble of thunder, cutting through the mood. The previously overcast skies had since become darkened, clouds covering the sky like a thick, ominous blanket.

A raindrop smacked Kumiko right in the forehead. "Uh oh."


	24. Have A Short Rest

The chalkboard at the front of the music room now had an important countdown: '31 DAYS UNTIL THE COMPETITION!' A pair of piccolo players were drawing some music notes and flowers around the exclamation mark, the first of what would be an assortment of colorful doodles that would cover the board as anticipation grew for the event.

Kumiko figured Yamanaka had written that message out the day before while she and Reina were not at practice. Their romantic picnic around lunchtime was crashed by an ill-timed storm, and it had been an exhausting escape from the cold rain back to Reina's house. The thought of fighting the unrelenting downpour to get back to the school was quite unappealing. Especially when they both needed a hot shower, and well, one thing led to another…

Her increasingly lewd thoughts were broken by a familiar voice excitedly going, "Kumiko!" behind her. A pair of hands clapped down onto her shoulders from above, massaging them creepily. It was Natsuki. "Ol' buddy, ol' pal, o' friend o' mine…" she singsonged.

"You're in a good mood today," Kumiko noted, trying to escape the grip.

"Because, my compadre, I have experienced an important milestone in my life," Natsuki dramatically announced, draping herself in the chair beside Kumiko, who stared blankly at her, waiting for further elaboration. "Let's just say that you are no longer more… _experienced_ than your elder." Kumiko still waited. Natsuki huffed impatiently. "I got laid yesterday."

"What?!" Kumiko asked and jumped in surprise. The corner of her foot hit her music stand, causing it to loudly clatter. "What?!" she asked again, hopefully more quiet. "For real?"

"Yes, for real." The smug aura that Natsuki radiated was blindingly infuriating.

Kumiko scoffed, shaking her head. "And you said _I_ moved too fast… Leave it to a couple of lesbians, huh. It hasn't even been a month for you guys."

"Listen. The passion could no longer be contained. She couldn't resist jumping my bones."

"Yeah, yeah, sure…" Kumiko glanced around—everyone else seemed occupied with set-up or chatter, so she quietly indulged her curiosity. "So… how was it, then?"

"Oh, I'm not one to kiss and tell," Natsuki coyly stated, making a 'shh' gesture.

"Actually, you are," Kumiko deadpanned. "You _absolutely_ are."

"Whoops, you're right," Natsuki laughed, unable to argue. "Well, in that case," she leaned in, grinning like a cheshire cat, "let's just say that it was a good thing we were home alone, 'cause who woulda guessed, Yuuko's a screamer—"

Kumiko cringed, instantly regretting asking. Curiosity also killed the cat. "Er, never mind. I don't wanna know."

"C'mon! You asked!" Natsuki playfully shoved, but then pulled her friend back closer, whispering conspiratorially, "Actually, I'd like to know something… I'm really curious what Kousaka's like in bed." Reina hadn't arrived at practice yet, so Natsuki felt safe to continue, "I mean, she seems like such an ice queen, that she could be all cold and dominating in bed—"

"Stop calling her that," Kumiko frowned. When other people said the phrase, it never seemed positive. "And she's not."

"Oh, so she's the opposite? You're the one on top?! I'm shocked!"

"Shut _up_ , Natsuki!" Kumiko hissed, face burning from embarrassment and the memories of the recent intimate encounters with her girlfriend (like the one from yesterday). "…We alternate," she divulged under her breath.

"Nice. Very versatile," Natsuki approved with a thumbs-up. "So far, all Yuuko seems to want to do is be on the bottom—"

Asuka interrupted the lewd conversation with a roar, "Well, look who decided to show up today!" Her arms fully wrapped around Natsuki and Kumiko's necks, grabbing them in near choking headlocks. "You two look like you're up to no good."

"We were just discussing our sexual escapades," Natsuki smugly grinned.

Asuka seemed unimpressed. "Oh, so that's your excuse for missing yesterday?"

"I think it's a pretty good excuse—aaaack!"

"There's a time and a place for everything," Asuka continued as her friends tried to escape her tightening grasp, "and practice is not the time to be discussing who was making whom scream in bed."

If Kumiko had the capacity for speech, she wanted to ask how Asuka knew that—if they were talking too loud or if her hearing was just _that_ good.

"Who was screaming?" Midori curiously chirped, popping up into the scene like a small rodent in a whack-a-mole game, prompting Asuka to let go. "Was someone watching a scary movie? I love scary stuff!" Her innocent cheeriness was also blindingly infuriating.

"Yeah, we know, Midori," Hazuki laughed, using her free hand to pet her friend's head. "You're into some weird stuff."

"I like that one series where the classmates have to battle each other to the death!"

Asuka placed a thoughtful hand to her chin. "I have a feeling that if the band were in a fight for survival, you would be one of the last ones standing, Sapphire."

"It's Midori."

"There it is! The flames burning behind those innocent eyes! A savagery that cannot be bested—"

"Can you guys please quiet down?" Kumiko grumbled to herself.

Asuka leaned down to put Kumiko back into another choke hold. "So you're ready to focus today?! No running off?!"

"Yes, yes!" Kumiko coughed out. "Lemme go!"

"And _you_!" Asuka commanded to Natsuki. "Go get your euphonium!"

"Right away, chief!" Natsuki saluted before dashing off.

Hazuki asked Kumiko after Asuka finally let her go, "Yeah, where were you and Natsuki yesterday?"

"Isn't it obvious, Hazuki?" Midori giggled, getting situated with her large instrument as well. "They were off frolicking with their loves."

"Oh, that makes sense." Hazuki scuffed the toe of her shoe against the worn-out carpet. "I didn't go 'frolic,' but Shuuichi and I went to that drive-in place after practice. It wasn't super romantic, but they did have half-price fries for couples."

"Very economical," was Asuka's comment before excusing herself to help Haruka with a miscellaneous vice presidential matter. If Kumiko didn't know any better, she would think that it was Asuka's attempt at dodging the eventual inquiry as to what _she_ might've been up to yesterday. To Kumiko's knowledge, it was nothing in particular, even with that weird thing with Kaori hanging in the air…

"And what else did you do?" Midori prompted Hazuki excitedly, obviously looking for more juicy details.

"Then we went back to his house…"

"Yes?!"

"And finally watched some anime other than Naruto. It was fun."

Midori seemed to deflate with disappointment, almost dragging her contrabass down with her. "Was that it? Have you two kissed yet?!"

"H-hey, that's private!" Hazuki squeaked in embarrassment, hushing her friend. "N-not yet… I'm waiting for the perfect moment, is all…" she explained, self-consciously glancing back and forth between Midori and Kumiko's inquisitive faces. "Is that weird?"

"It's all good. Every couple's different," Kumiko encouraged, being the people-pleaser she was. It was… interesting how Hazuki had yet to kiss her boyfriend, but had no qualms about smooching Natsuki in a bathroom stall… but Kumiko wasn't dumb enough to let that observation slip out of her mouth.

"Oh, there's Shuuichi over there," Midori happily pointed to the boy across the room with her bow. "Go say hello!"

At that moment, Shuuichi seemed to trip on something. The clattering noise Kumiko had made with her music stand earlier was like a pin drop compared to the crashing Shuuichi created by ever-so-gracefully falling over a folding chair into _multiple_ music stands. The growth spurt he had had over the past summer made him more awkward and less in control of his limbs than before.

Kumiko covered her mouth in a poor attempt to hide her laughter at the sight of his legs now flailing wildly in the air like an upside-down flamingo. Hazuki had rushed over before she could get out, "I think he needs some help."

"That looked like it hurt," Midori commented in concern, before lightly chiding, "Kumiko! You shouldn't laugh at your friend's pain."

"But it's too funny."

"What if Reina fell over and someone was laughing at _her_?"

"Oh, well. That's different," she tried to justify. Speaking of Reina, she had finally appeared at practice, moving to her seat with her usual confident and self-assured stride, trumpet by her side. Then, to Kumiko's concern, the smoothness of Reina's movements were shaken up by some coughs. The girl slowly settled into her seat, trying to catch her breath.

In no time, Kumiko was by her girlfriend's side. "Hey, cutie," she said in a hushed tone, taking the empty seat next to her. "You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Reina replied after a deep inhale and another throat clear. "Just had a tickle in my throat."

"Do you need some water?"

"I've got some," she stated, pulling her thermos from her bag to prove her point. It had recently been adorned with some cute dog mascot stickers given to her by Midori.

"Okay, good…" Kumiko nodded. "Since we got caught the rain yesterday, I was worried you might be getting sick or something."

"I'm alright," Reina smiled, appreciating the concern.

Kumiko softly smiled back. She glanced at her watch—there were still a few minutes left to kill. "So how are you?"

"No different than I was three hours ago," Reina quipped. They had seen each other at lunch time.

"That was so long ago," Kumiko teased back.

"Practically an eternity."

"Did you miss me?"

"Somehow I survived."

"I'm surprised. How do you manage without me around?"

"It's quite difficult."

"Yeah, I—"

Their bantering was interrupted by a loud throat clear from someone else. Kumiko looked up to see Mina, clearly annoyed at having her assigned seat currently occupied. "Oh, uh, sorry," Kumiko eloquently sputtered out, getting up and out of the way.

Mina sat down with a huff, smoothing out her skirt. The red around the wrist of Kumiko's awkwardly fidgeting hand must have caught her attention, along with the matching color on Reina's. She was known for having an eye for fashion, but judging by her expression, it was not a positive appraisal. "Friendship bracelets?" she sneered. "Isn't that really grade school?"

Kumiko wasn't sure how to respond. A strange sensation crawled up from her stomach and creeped along her skin, a sizzling cocktail of shame and indignation. 'Friendship bracelets.' Of course.

"Uhh," was eventually her equally eloquent reply.

"I think they're cute," was Reina's answer. With no further explanation necessary, she reached up to give Kumiko's clenched fist a quick squeeze—an act of reassurance and also an indicator that she should get back to her section. Practice was about to start. "I'll see you later," she told her.

Kumiko did take that as her cue to leave, instead of standing there in the row blocking traffic both ways like an incredulous idiot.

"Yeah. See you later."

* * *

To make up for their missed Tuesday practice, Reina suggested that they practice that Saturday afternoon. It had since become a regular thing. The chalkboard yesterday had read, '15 DAYS UNTIL THE COMPETITION.'

"Whew," Kumiko breathed out, stretching out the fingers of her right hand that had begun to cramp up. "Maybe we should take a break."

"In a little while," Reina replied, flipping her music back a few pages. For the past few weekends, they had been down in Mr. Kousaka's studio space that he used when working from home, but this weekend he was back in town and had the space occupied with a colleague of his. So, the girls were playing up in Reina's room, which made the temptation to focus on other things all the more inciting.

At least, it did for Kumiko, who was as not as laser-focused as Reina normally was. Setting down her euphonium, she stood up to stretch her lower back as well, making her way over to her girlfriend. "C'mon, we've been at it for almost three hours."

"I'm fine," she said, only leaning slightly into Kumiko's sideways hug.

"But Reina, your lips look tired. Maybe you should rest them on mine," Kumiko suggested with the dopiest grin possible.

Reina did not seem impressed. "Terrible."

"Aw," Kumiko pouted, hugging Reina closer and playing with the ends of her hair. Her efforts at grabbing her girlfriend's attention were failing her. "You're really focused today. Like, more than usual."

"It's already March," Reina explained as if it were obvious. "The next competition is two weeks from today."

"I know. But it's important to take a breather every now and then."

"Go ahead."

"I'm not taking a break unless you are."

"I said—" Reina's words turned into an odd, girlish scream as Kumiko picked her up and pulled her onto the bed in a running dive, trumpet and all.

Kumiko laughed. "That was a weird scream."

"No weirder than yours," Reina retorted, clinging to her instrument as tightly as Kumiko clung to her. Not feeling like putting up a fight now that she was down, she let out a large sigh, resigning herself to this temporary fate. "I guess a short break wouldn't hurt."

"That's the spirit."

"Be quiet." Reina sat up to place her trumpet down on her nightstand before laying back down on her back, using Kumiko's upper arm as a pillow. "I know these weekend practices together were my idea, but it's hard with such a _distraction_ around."

"Says the bigger distraction." Kumiko was lying on her left side, draping an arm across Reina's midsection. "Do you want me to leave, then?"

"I didn't say that… I like playing with you."

"Me too." It was an activity as intimate as any other they shared; a mutual honor and privilege to experience together something so personal and intwined to their identities. "Hey, Reina… Why did you start playing the trumpet?"

"It was mostly because of my dad, since he's a pro."

"Yeah, that's right," Kumiko recalled. That home studio wasn't just for show, after all. "So you want to be like him?"

"In a way, yes. He travels all over the country, and works on so many different projects, doing what he loves. I want to be like that. To be special."

"Thats pretty cool. I'm jealous that you have such a cool dad. Mine's nice and all… sometimes… but he's so, eh… boring. He and my mom would probably have a fit if I said I wanted to travel the country playing the euph. But, uh, that's probably the least of my worries."

Reina didn't comment on that, instead wanting to sate her own curiosity. "So why did you start playing the euphonium? I remember you mentioning that you wanted to play the trombone."

"Yeah, 'cause of my sister being in band and playing the trombone. I remember when I was really little, my mom took me to one of her concerts and I thought she looked so cool up there. I said 'I wanna do that too'!"

Reina smiled. "That's really sweet."

Kumiko concluded the story, "But I got assigned the euphonium because the trombone was too popular. Go figure. Heh. It reminds me of how Hazuki wanted to play the trumpet, but wound up in our section."

Reina clearly remembered Hazuki's initial failed attempts at making noise with a trumpet mouthpiece. There was no way she stood a chance against the talent she was up against at the time—between Reina, Yuuko, Kaori, and even Mina. "Maybe it was for the best."

"I guess. She seems to still really admire trumpet players, though…" Kumiko chuckled, "It wouldn't surprise me if she had a crush on you. Who could blame her?"

"If she does, I'm flattered…" Reina scoffed at Kumiko's dumb grin. "But doesn't she probably have a crush on Natsuki right now?"

"Yeah, maybe…" Kumiko contemplated. "I wonder how that's all gonna go down. I hope it ends up okay."

"Me too."

Kumiko deeply inhaled. "Did I tell you that I almost quit band?" she muttered against Reina's hair.

"You said that you were hesitant to join, but I didn't know that you almost quit entirely. Was it because of that girl?"

"Part of it. Another reason was seeing my sister lose _her_ passion for music… Before she went off to college, she stopped playing all together. It really bummed me out."

"That's sad. I'm really glad you didn't quit."

"Same here. For more reasons than one." Kumiko thoughtfully paused. "Another thing that helped was Asuka. I really admire her talent. I want to play like her."

"That's good…"

"What's with that face?"

Reina hid her expression in the crook of Kumiko's neck. "Nothing."

"Yeah, I know, you don't like Asuka," she chuckled.

"It's not that I don't _like_ her, it's just… Well, I don't know. It's hard to tell what her motivations are. You've always seemed really close with her. Like, _very_ close. And now it makes me worried."

"And I keep telling you there's nothing to worry about, baby."

"Well, I'm a jealous person. I'm sorry."

"Aw, don't start pouting."

"I'm not pouting," Reina pouted.

Both of them were startled by some quick knocks at the door. "Are you in there, honey?" It was Mr. Kousaka, apparently taking his own break.

"Eep!" Kumiko said, springing up and away from Reina.

Reina smiled in amusement. "I am. Come in," she called out.

Given the all-clear, Soujiro opened the door and walked in. "I've got good news about the tickets to that show you want to see—oh, what's up, Kumiko?" he interrupted himself, giving a friendly wave. Noticing the girls' proximity to each other on the bed, he quickly switched gears, wanting to play the role of tough dad. "What are you doing in here? You better not have your hands all over my daughter!"

"N-no, sir!" Kumiko squeaked, scooting _too_ far back, and falling off onto the floor. "Aaack!"

Reina rolled her eyes. "Daddy, be nice."

Soujiro sheepishly laughed. "Aww, but it's fun! I've always wanted to do the 'hands off my daughter' thing to your future boyfriend, but you've got a girlfriend… Actually, I kinda like that better."

"You do?" Kumiko peeked over the mattress, hiding behind it.

"Yeah, sure, it's fine with me." He scratched at his beard. "You girls probably know this already, but guys… really suck. They're the worst. Total shit, in fact."

"It's so hard to find a good one!" Miki declared, popping her head around the doorframe, joining the scene. "What are you doing in here, darling? Are you giving Kumiko a hard time again?"

"Sure am! It's a lot of fun."

"You're scaring the poor girl."

"Sorry, Kumiko."

"It's okay," she said, still partly hiding.

Miki began tugging Soujiro out of the room by the back of his collar. "Come on, dear, leave them alone," she chuckled.

"Aw," Soujiro replied, allowing himself to be drug away, but called out more dad-like words, "There better be no funny business going on in here! No hanky-panky! Hanky _or_ panky, you hear?!"

"Hanky-panky?" Kumiko asked, finally emerging from her hiding spot.

"Daddy, you're so embarrassing!" Reina cried out. Left alone again, the door clicked shut. She let out a sigh. "I'm sorry about that. He likes messing with you."

"It's okay," Kumiko said again, reclaiming her seat close to her girlfriend. "It's kinda funny… when I'm not fearing for my life."

Reina laughed. "There's no need to fear. They really like you. Actually, they'd probably even let you stay here if you needed to."

"Oh, really? That's nice of them…" Kumiko trailed off. "We should probably get back to practicing, huh?" Reina was about to concur, but started randomly coughing. "There you go with the coughs again," she noted. It had become a common occurrence lately, especially with the non-stop playing. "Are you _sure_ you're not getting sick?"

Reina ahem-ed, trying to appear as prim and proper as normal with a flick of her fringe. "I'm fine."

* * *

Reina ended up getting sick.

Her health seemed fine all that week, until Friday after school. She and Kumiko were hanging out with Natsuki and Yuuko, tagging along on a routine QT-then-Gamestop-then-Taco-Bell excursion. ("It's too cold for slushies and you already have too many games," Yuuko commented, which Natsuki ignored.)

Reina had been especially quiet that day, but that in itself wasn't too odd. During group hangouts, she preferred to quietly observe than participate, content to witness the conversation, but Kumiko's attempts to involve her in conversation had gotten only brief acknowledgements in response. Maybe she was just tired, Kumiko thought—probably after practices upon practices, pushing herself too hard.

While Natsuki and Yuuko perused the shelves, Kumiko stood back, with Reina clinging to her side. "Kumiko," she heard her croak out.

"Hm?"

"I don't feel good," Reina helplessly whined, resting her forehead on Kumiko's shoulder.

"What's wrong, baby?" she immediately asked in concern, touching her palm to Reina's forehead. "You're burning up!" Reina was even paler than usual, normally lively eyes dulled by fatigue.

Natsuki and Yuuko soon noticed something amiss. "What's up?" the former asked. "Everything okay?"

"Reina has a fever."

"Aw, man! That sucks—"

"Oh no!" Yuuko exclaimed in concern, going into 'mother hen' mode, rushing to Reina's side. "I hope you feel better soon, Reina. You go home and get some rest," she started lecturing with adamant finger pointing, "And I mean _actually_ _rest,_ don't keep practicing just because the competition's next weekend, because you need to get better, and we're counting on you for that solo, so—"

"Alright, give her a break!" Natsuki said, reeling in Yuuko's fussing. "She doesn't need you nagging her, geez. Kumiko'll take _good_ care of her, am I right?"

Kumiko replied snakily, "Yeah, but I didn't like your face when you said that."

"Heh. But seriously, I hope you feel better soon, Kousaka."

"Thanks…" she responded weakly.

"C'mon, Reina, I'll take you home."

* * *

Kumiko also couldn't resist lecturing Reina, as the one most affected and worried about her. "Man," she started while directing Reina to lie down, "I knew you were getting sick, Reina. If you felt bad, you should've said so."

"I'm sorry…" Reina said, feebly attempting to pull her sweater off over her head.

Kumiko gave her some assistance with the task. "It's okay," she sighed. "I just don't want you to push yourself so hard, alright? It's okay to take a break every now and then."

"Mm-hmm…"

"Especially when you need it. And if something's bothering you, you need to tell me."

"Mnn," she grumbled, followed by a couple of coughs. "I'm not really in the mood for a lecture."

"Well, too bad." Kumiko hadn't exactly been in the mood to carry Reina up the stairs to her bedroom, but she did it anyway. It reminded her of New Year's. She continued to assist with the removal of clothing, so Reina could change into pajamas. "Good thing I've already seen you naked or this would be even more awkward, heh."

"Shut up," Reina grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. She directed Kumiko to the drawer that held her nightwear—and incidentally, some lingerie as well. "And stop staring at my underwear."

"I—I'm not!" Kumiko squawked, caught in the act. "So which super adorable set of jammies do you want? The ducks or the kittens? Should I get your bunny slippers too?"

"Are you seriously making fun of me right now?"

Kumiko kept snickering, "Hey, they say laughter is the best medicine."

"You're the only one laughing."

* * *

Kumiko was effectively trapped now—although not in an entirely bad way—sitting up against the headboard with Reina asleep in her arms, resting against her chest, head laying on her shoulder. Reina's breathing had gotten more ragged, mostly from coughing, and also heavy from congestion. It had taken a while for the girl to fall asleep, especially after repeated pitiful pleadings to be held, and for Kumiko not to leave her, so Kumiko didn't dare move. It would've been bad if she had to go to the bathroom or something.

Or if Mrs. Kousaka decided to walk in. Which she did.

On the bright side, at least it wasn't _Mr._ Kousaka, lest she incur the overprotective wrath of a father… but it didn't make being caught in bed with someone's daughter any less embarrassing.

Kumiko jolted. "Erk. Hi, Mrs. Kousaka," she peeped out.

"Hello, Kumiko dear," Miki smiled, totally unaffected by the position she saw them in, not an ounce of surprise on her face. "Didn't I tell you that you could call me 'Miki'?"

"Uh, er, yes, ma'am—anyway—this isn't what it looks like."

"It looks like you're holding Reina while she's taking a nap," Miki matter-of-factly pointed out.

"Oh. Then this is what it looks like," Kumiko awkwardly laughed, then explained, "Reina's not feeling well…"

Miki quickly approached, the doting mother that she always was. "What's wrong?"

"She's got a fever and a cough. She's also really weepy for some reason…"

Miki kindly chuckled, the faint lines around her eyes crinkling in amused understanding. "She does get like that. I appreciate you always looking out for her." She removed the now-dry washcloth from earlier off her daughter's head to get a feel for her temperature. "My goodness, she _is_ running a fever. I'll freshen this up and get her some medicine," she said, grabbing the plastic basin of lukewarm water. "Don't go anywhere."

"I can't. I'm kinda stuck."

"I can tell."

Kumiko let out a large, relieved sigh when Miki left the room. That could've been more awkward than it already was. She redirected her attention back to Reina—who was still asleep. As Mrs. Kousaka observed, Reina's fever didn't feel any lower. The poor thing probably had a cold.

"Reina," Kumiko said, starting to gently nudge her awake. "Reeiiina… Your mom's back."

"Hrnn?" Reina groaned, slowly blinking her heavy eyes, as if tiny weights were hanging from them. "Huh?"

"I said your mom's back," Kumiko repeated again, soothingly rubbing between Reina's shoulder blades. "I should probably go."

"Huh? Go where?"

"I should probably go home. My parents are probably gonna start wondering where I am soon. And more importantly, you need your rest." Kumiko did not expect tears to start welling up in Reina's eyes, but she wasn't exactly shocked by it. "Oh no… Reina, baby, please don't start crying."

"I—I'm not…"

"You are. What's the matter?"

Reina rolled onto her side, still in Kumiko's grasp, to bury her face in her collarbone. "I don't want you to leave…" she muttered.

"You're such a crybaby."

"A—am _not_."

"For goodness sake. If you get me sick, I'm gonna be really mad, y'know," Kumiko told her in a tone that betrayed her words. The pitiful sniffling was like multiple arrows were striking her right in the heart. "Alright, alright," she finally relented. "I guess I can stay a little longer, only to make sure you don't sneak practices in while you should be resting."

"Thank you… Don't leave, okay…" were the last words Reina muttered before she drifted off again.

It was no use—Kumiko was, as always, at the mercy of the whims of Queen Reina.

"Geez. What am I going to do with you?"

Or, in other words, she was totally whipped.

"Don't worry, Reina," Kumiko continued, mostly to herself, "you'll be better in no time!"

After all, the band was counting on her. The nationals were in everyone's sights.


	25. Recollection & Foreboding

a/n: Hello! As you can see, I am not dead.

It's been a fresh minute since the last chapter… about 8 months, in fact. I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting with my unintentional hiatus. While things have generally been going good for me in the time I've been away, there's been a lot of chaos that ensued. Being busy at a new job (been there for almost a year now), family health issues with my mom and dad, I was sick myself a couple of times, etc etc. And now, next month, I'm moving to a new place! Which is great! Despite real life getting in the way sometimes, I plan to keep this story alive and well and intend to see it to the end. I estimate about 30 chapters will conclude it. I hope you hang in there with me. Please enjoy what I've got for you so far.

If you'd like to keep up with me elsewhere, please feel free to follow me on twitter & twitch at kcseabrook.

* * *

"99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around, 99 bottles of—"

"For goodness sake, Asuka!" Haruka exclaimed, cutting through the merry jaunting. "Shut up!"

A collective sigh of relief washed over the bus when Asuka sat back down. Why Haruka didn't speak up much sooner—like maybe back at that 50th, or even 20th bottle—no one was sure, but now the returning peace was much appreciated. No one else had dared to stop the force that was Asuka Tanaka, after all.

During this show, their band director had been passed out. Ms. Yamanaka said that she was prone to motion sickness, so she had doped herself up on dramamine. (Some rumors floated around that she actually had a hangover.) Had she been in the waking world, she no doubt would've barked at Asuka to be quiet long before their esteemed club president lost her well-worn patience.

"Aww, party pooper. I was hoping everyone would join in," Asuka said with a pout to Kaori, who was sitting on her right.

"Maybe no one could match your lovely singing," Kaori said half-sarcastically, but also genuinely. "But you were also starting to sound a bit hoarse. Here." She offered a bottle of water.

"Thank you," Asuka replied to the sincerity. "At least someone around here appreciates my efforts."

"Your _efforts_ are driving us all crazy," Haruka tiredly said.

Meanwhile, in the back of the bus sat Natsuki and Yuuko. "Oh, god, it's finally over," Natsuki sighed. "Why didn't anyone stop her sooner?"

"Yeah, like you," Yuuko snarked, removing one of her earbuds. "But I shouldn't be surprised. You _are_ one of her groupies."

"Who're you callin' a 'groupie'?" Natsuki snarked back. "Asuka's one of my best pals, is all. Second only to Kumiko. And you… I guess."

"Excuse me? You _guess_?"

"Huh? Did someone say my name?" Kumiko asked, looking across the row towards Natsuki.

"Yeah," Natsuki mischievously grinned, finding the opportunity to make a jab. "I was complaining how it's going to be torture sharing a room with you and Kousaka—the most lovey-dovey, disgustingly perfect couple on the planet." A thoughtful pause. "Actually, scratch what I said about Asuka being my best pal. I think she was responsible for the room assignments."

"We're not perfect," Kumiko argued.

"Look at you," Natsuki argued back, gesturing to their position.

"Oh," Kumiko blushed a bit, looking sheepish. Reina had dozed off about an hour ago, and was now using her shoulder as a pillow, and her arm as some sort of stuffed animal replacement. "Reina did that on her own."

"But you're not complaining."

"Well…"

"Disgusting."

* * *

"I have to peeeee!" Natsuki exclaimed, bursting into their hotel room and to the bathroom like her life depended on it.

"I told you not to get that giant Monster drink at the rest stop, you idiot!" Yuuko yelled at her through the door.

"Go away! I can't pee while you're listening!" Natsuki yelled back.

"I'm not _trying_ to listen!"

Kumiko awkwardly shuffled by. "This is going to be an interesting evening, I bet…" she muttered mostly to herself, drowned out by their noise.

It was a standard-sized hotel room with two double beds. Not too swanky of a place, but not too shabby either. The art and decorations on the wall were typical hotel kitsch—odd shapes, paintings of fruit, and scenery of the city they were in.

The students were surprised that the school had the budget available to rent out this floor just for the band. Extracurriculars and the arts were always the first victims of educational budget cuts, but the concert band seemed to be a source of pride for North Kite High. Their principal seemed to have a soft spot for it, too.

"Let's claim that bed," Reina said, pointing at the one closest to the windows.

"Sure thing," Kumiko concurred, placing her and Reina's duffle bags down at the foot of it. Light filtered into the room as Reina opened the blinds. "Oh, hey, there's the venue."

Across the street was the concert hall, within walking distance in the metropolitan downtown. They were in one of the bigger cities in the state. The students and staff had journeyed at least 3 hours to get here to compete.

"Ahh, we're really high up," Kumiko commented shakily. "Makes me kinda nervous to look down."

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Reina asked quietly.

"It's a normal amount of nervous, I think. What about you?"

"A little more than normal…" Reina admitted, rubbing at her throat. Her voice was still a bit raspy. At Kumiko's insistence, Yuuko's orders, and Mrs. Kousaka's care, Reina took a couple of days off from school at the beginning of the week to fully recover. It was hard to maintain good breath control with the congestion and sore throat that her ill-timed cold brought upon her.

"Hey, don't worry," Kumiko encouraged, placing a hand at the small of her back. "You're sounding much better. And you've been getting plenty of rest and water, right?" Reina nodded. "You're going to do great. We all are."

"Hurry up in there, Natsuki!" Yuuko demanded, impatiently tapping her foot and knocking at the door. "The perfect couple are already being too sweet!"

"Hold your horses! I'm not finished yet!" A moment later, the toilet flushed. "…Hey, is it normal for pee to be blue?"

"Seriously, stop drinking those Monsters."

* * *

Later, bags unpacked and bladders emptied, the quartet settled in, unsure of how to spend their time first. Out of curiosity, Natsuki looked out the window as well. Instead of admiring the concert venue nearby, there was a shining beacon of joy sitting on the street corner that commanded her attention.

"Oh, shit!" Natsuki exclaimed. "There's a Sonic down there!"

"The hedgehog?" Kumiko questioned.

"No, you dope," was the answer. "The fast food place."

"Why are you losing your mind over it?" Yuuko asked.

" _Because_ ," Natsuki began her explanation as if it were obvious knowledge, "there's no Sonic near us, and I see their ads all the time on TV, and they make me _so_ hungry—"

"Whatever."

"Kumiko!" Natsuki continued, undeterred. "We gotta go down there and get some Sonic!"

"Are you serious?" Kumiko asked tiredly.

"I am dead friggin' serious, my friend."

Yuuko warned against the weird idea, "We're not allowed to sneak out anywhere, or we'll get in trouble. And they're going to feed us later anyway."

"Yeah, lame-ass sub sandwiches, I hear," Natsuki complained. "I want some _decent_ food."

"Is fast food ever decent?"

"No judgin'! Kumiko!" she ordered again. "Let's go!"

Judging by Kumiko's face, there was clearly an internal battle waging in her mind. On the one hand, she was tired and comfortably content on a cloud of pillows, with Reina snuggled up to her again. On the other…

"They have tater tots."

Yuuko calculated how many calories those were as Kumiko quickly got up with a resigned sigh. Yuuko found herself envious of the taller girl's apparently bottomless stomach. "Just go, you idiots!" she demanded, now annoyed. "Reina and I can spend time _quality time_ together," she added, hopping up and jumping into Kumiko's place on the bed.

Reina scooted back a bit. "Every time you say 'quality time,' it sounds mildly threatening."

"I know, right?" Natsuki agreed with a laugh.

Yuuko huffed. "It's _not._ You're just paranoid," she said to Natsuki, waving the two euphs away. "Go!"

"Let's go, then!" Natsuki cheered, dragging Kumiko behind her. For a moment, she resembled her dog Yuta. "For the Sonic!"

Yuuko let out an over dramatically exasperated sigh once the two were out the door and their voices faded away. "Why does Natsuki have to be such a weirdo?"

Reina amusedly scoffed. "Says the one in love with that weirdo."

"Wh—what?" Yuuko sputtered, whipping her head in Reina's direction. "Who said anything about _love_?" The other girl sat there unperturbed, studying her fingernails, as if something utterly insane did not escape her mouth. "If you're actually suggesting that I… l—lo…"

"You don't?" Reina asked with innocent concern when Yuuko trailed off. "I love Kumiko. I've been telling her that for a while now."

Yuuko bawlked again, "You've already told her you love her?! When?!"

"Shortly before Christmas," she recalled.

"Wha… buh…" Yuuko did more mental math. "What the heck!" she exclaimed. "That's _so_ soon. And _so_ typical of lesbians!"

"Is it? Well… if the shoe fits," Reina shrugged. "I don't understand why you're so shocked. You know me. I'm to the point."

"I am too, but…"

"It's hard to be honest with your feelings, huh."

"I'm not being _dishonest,"_ Yuuko argued, stubborn as usual. "I like Natsuki a lot, sure—or I wouldn't be dating her. But… _love_ … who could love that idiot?" she exclaimed, kicking her legs on the bed petulantly.

Reina was unconvinced. "When are you going to tell her you love her?"

"As if!"

Reina placed a calming hand on her friend's shoulder. "Do we really need to go down this road again?"

"Alright, alright. Listen. It's not that I don't l—lo—… really like… feel strongly about Natsuki, I'm just not… ready to say it. We're not like you guys. It's too soon. It might scare her off."

"Would it? I figured that she'd be happy to hear it," Reina hummed contemplatively. She hesitated to share her thoughts, but went for it anyway. "Don't take this the wrong way, but… you two have been… intimate already…" she danced around the phrasing, "but haven't said 'I love you'?"

Yuuko slightly bristled at this criticism of her relationship. "And?"

"And… shouldn't the order be… never mind," Reina backed off, knowing it wasn't her place. "Well, you know her better than I do, and like you said, every couple's different. So I'm sure it's fine. Right?"

"…Right."

* * *

The unhealthy and delicious smell of fast wood wafted through the room the moment the door opened.

"We're back!" Natsuki proclaimed, holding the bag of soggy goodies up triumphantly as proof. Kumiko trailed in behind, her hands also full. "What, no fanfare?"

"Welcome back," Reina greeted. Getting up from the bed, she casually sauntered over to Kumiko, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's shoulders in a hug and kissing her on the cheek. "Kumiko."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Kumiko dumbly blinked before blushing. "Ah… I love you too, baby," she said, embarrassed by the sudden affection in front of their friends. "I didn't know you wanted Sonic so much. Er, a, a milkshake. For you," she also dumbly said.

Natsuki grimaced, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, gross. You guys are gonna make me lose my appetite, after all the trouble we went through to grab food. Anyway," she continued, "I got you a milkshake too, Yuuko. You like strawberry, right?"

"Oh, yes… I do," Yuuko faltered, taking the cup from her. "Thank you."

Natsuki didn't have to ask if she liked strawberry—she knew. "What, don't I get a smooch too? Not even as thanks?" Yuuko huffed, and stomped off. Natsuki pleased grin turned into a frown. "Did you do something weird to her, Kousaka?"

"Not at all," Reina shrugged. "I think she's just processing some things. Leave her be."

* * *

"Man, there is _nothing_ on TV," Natsuki grumbled while cycling through the channels for a third time, clicking faster on the remote than the old CRT could keep up with.

"Why didn't you bring a game or cards or something?" Yuuko countered snarkily, next to Natsuki on the bed, but turned away and still on her phone.

Natsuki exhaled through her nose, lips forming into an irritated line. Since coming back from their Sonic escapade, Yuuko had been in some kind of funk, even more cantankerous than usual. Not even the milkshake improved her mood. "Why didn't _you?_ " she challenged, choosing to argue instead of letting it slide.

Reina glanced over at the pair, trying to occupy herself with her own Twitter and Instagram feeds while Kumiko was in the shower. Natsuki clearly was unaware of the reason of the tension—which Reina felt a bit guilty about, but didn't regret bringing it up. It was a bridge the two were going to have to cross anyway.

Kumiko thankfully emerged from the bathroom, saving Reina from the awkwardness. "That was refreshing," she contently sighed, also oblivious to the bickering pair. Still toweling off her crazy curls, she plopped down next to Reina on the bed, who smiled up at her.

"Kumiko," Reina started, instantly playing with her hair. "I've been meaning to ask. What shampoo do you use? Your hair's always so… fluffy."

Kumiko sheepishly chuckled. "I don't use anything in particular. My hair's always been like this."

"I'm jealous."

"Don't be. I can't do anything with it."

Natsuki watched this exchange from the corner of her eye, also feeling jealous, but for a different reason. "Speaking of hair, I guess I'll let mine free," she announced, undoing her ponytail and deliberately swooshing her hair in Yuuko's direction.

Instead of playing with it like she had hoped for, Yuuko swatted it away. "You need a haircut," she said.

Natsuki sighed. "I've thought about it before," she mused. "Like super short. Going for that 'soft butch' look, y'know?" A nudge of the elbow. "Y'think that'd look good? Make me more attractive?"

"I like ponytails," Kumiko answered before Yuuko could, giving a thumbs up.

"I know _you_ do, you degenerate," Natsuki snarked. Another part of Kumiko's current appearance gave her an idea. "Hm… I also wonder how I'd look in glasses. Pretty sure chicks dig 'em." More elbow nudging. "What do you think, Yuuko?" she finally asked directly.

Yuuko huffed again. "Maybe they'd make you look smarter."

Under normal circumstances, Natsuki found that sassy smile endearing—maybe even cute—but right now, it was infuriating. "Well, that ribbon of yours makes you look _dumb!_ "

"Don't lie! You said it was cute!"

"I was just trying to make you feel better—"

"You're a jerk—"

Reina spoke up, "Come on, children, let's not fight."

"Who're you callin' _children_?" Natsuki raised her voice.

Yuuko offendedly pointed in Reina's direction. "Yes, you shouldn't talk to your elders like that."

"Impressive, Reina," Kumiko said. "You got them to agree."

"So what should we do?" Natsuki asked in resignation, getting up to look out the blinds again. The skies were starting to turn orange. "The night is still young."

Yuuko also got up from the bed, rummaging through her suitcase for a pair of pajamas and cosmetic bag. "I think it should be lights out by 9pm."

"No way. That's way too early."

Kumiko said, "Maybe that's not such a bad idea. Reina needs her rest."

"Come on, she slept most of the way here," Natsuki reasoned, having no intention of settling in that soon. The early bird may catch the worm, but the night owl has more fun. "Didn't you, Kousaka?"

"I did," she answered, curled back up under the covers. "There's no need for me to go to sleep that early."

Kumiko chuckled at the sight of Reina's face peeking out from the fluffy cocoon of pillows. "You look like you're already ready for bed, baby."

"It's cold in here."

Natsuki and Yuuko shared a look before gagging in unison, agreeing again for once. It was time to air some more grievances. "'Baby'?" Natsuki repeated tauntingly. "You guys have the cheesiest pet names for each other. Oh baby, oh sweetheart, oh cutie pie…"

"Hey!" Kumiko yelped in embarrassment, self-conscious again. "Shut up! Don't you guys have any nicknames for each other?"

Yuuko smirked haughtily. "Sometimes I call her an idiot."

"That's not a term of endearment," Natsuki grumbled.

"Really? No pet names at all?" Reina interrogated. "I find that hard to believe." A particularly inquiring stare was sent Yuuko's way.

"Well, believe it—hey, where're you going?" Natsuki asked at Yuuko's exit towards the bathroom. "We're all girls. No need to change elsewhere," she waggled her eyebrows. Yuuko only dignified her with a light 'ugh' and an eye roll.

Kumiko said to Reina, "That reminds me of something you once said…"

"It's a valid point," Reina replied.

"Yuukoooooo! Come back," Natsuki crooned.

"I'm doing my beauty routine!" was the annoyed reply from behind the bathroom door.

"You don't need to put all that gunk on your face! You're already beautiful enough!"

"Aw, that was really sweet, Natsuki," Kumiko teasingly complimented as Reina snickered. "Who knew you were such a romantic?"

"Shut up, _nerd!_ "

* * *

"Alright, I have an idea," Yuuko announced with a clap of her hands, sitting Indian-style on the comforter. "I was thinking that we could all share embarrassing stories about ourselves that we've never told anyone before."

Natsuki raised an eyebrow, also now in her pajamas. "Why the heck are you suggesting this?"

"I think it would be a great way for us all to get closer."

"We're all pretty close already, right? How could we get even closer—wait, I have a better idea for that. We could… get naaakeeeeeeed!" she cheered. The suggestion was met with silence. "What, you guys don't watch anime?"

"I do sometimes, but not the perverted ones you're into, apparently," Yuuko outwardly judged. "So, who wants to go first?"

"Why don't _you_ —"

Reina interrupted with a raise of her hand, "I have one," she decided to start to keep the peace, and get the ball rolling.

"You don't have to, Reina," Kumiko stated. "They're just being dumb."

"I think it's a good idea," Reina argued. This was the first semi-sleepover she had been to, and wanted to fully participate in the silliness that came with it. Kumiko shrugged, letting her continue, and now obviously curious. "Being back at a concert venue reminds me of what I did in my last year of middle school…"

Natsuki and Yuuko had stopped their bickering, interests piqued. "Oh yeah? What happened?" the former asked.

"Well…" Reina faltered, her unflappable demeanor starting to crack with mild embarrassment as the memory replayed in her head. "I had a huge crush on my band director in middle school. I already told you about this," she nodded at Kumiko.

"Yeah, I remember," Kumiko confirmed, even more curious.

"It was a borderline obsession, really. I don't know what it was about him, besides thinking he was nice and handsome, and—well. He wore glasses."

Natsuki and Yuuko immediately looked at Kumiko's bespectacled self before sharing a knowing glance of their own. "Ahhhhh."

"So, I had the bright idea to confess to him. While he was accepting an award on-stage. I screamed out from the crowd, 'Mr. Taki! I love you!' In front of everyone in the venue."

"Oh my gosh," Kumiko laughed. "That sounds… oddly like you."

Reina removed one hand from her embarrassed face to lightly punch Kumiko in the arm. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That's pretty good," Natsuki nodded, chuckling alongside Yuuko, who was always a fan of juicy details. "Okay, Kumiko, your turn."

"Why me?!"

"Because I say so."

And so, upon some thinking, Kumiko regaled them with a story about one of the first times she and Natsuki hung out outside of school and saw a movie together. She couldn't remember what movie it was in particular, since the embarrassing memory overrode and ruined it. Natsuki had gone into the theater ahead to get some seats while Kumiko, being the snacker she was, got some ice cream from the concession stand.

Which somehow led to the sad string of events that led to Kumiko placing the cup in her seat for some reason, forgetting it was there, and sitting it in. So, she sat in her ice cream. For like, an hour.

"My butt was so cold," she said, causing the rest of them to lose it. Especially Natsuki, who had no idea this had transpired, and thought they had a great time at the movie. "Did we? Or did _you?!_ "

"You _sat_ on your _ice cream_?" Natsuki asked again incredulously, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Shut up. I didn't tell you 'cause I was _embarrassed_!" she whined, causing another round of laughter. "I didn't want to ruin the movie, so I took one for the team!"

After they all calmed down, Natsuki attempted to match that tale with one where her regular nap time routine in class backfired on her when some of her classmates drew and wrote stuff on her sleeping face. (Thankfully, it was with a washable marker.) Natsuki was extra perturbed about it since Yuuko shared that particular class with her and did not see fit to stop it or _warn_ her until she was out on display for everyone in the hallway to see.

Yuuko also denied that she was the ringleader of the operation. Which she most likely was. But there was no evidence stating otherwise.

In an attempt to placate her salty girlfriend, Yuuko shared some examples of when the ever-present ribbon on her head caused trouble. They all had a good laugh about it getting stuck in the door of a taxi cab, low-hanging tree branches, and a revolving door, to name a few.

"Aw, that sounds hilariously cute, bunny," Natsuki smiled fondly. It took a moment to register why her companions were regarding her like she had grown three heads.

 _"Bunny?!"_ Kumiko and Reina exclaimed.

Natsuki slapped her hand over her mouth, but it was too late. The 'pet' name had already slipped out. The only course of action now… was denial. "Shut up! I didn't say anything like that! You're crazy!" Looking for an escape route, she jumped up and grabbed the unused ice bucket from the table. "I'm gonna go get some ice!"

"Do we really need any?" Kumiko grinned.

"Yes!"

Yuuko smacked her forehead as Natsuki dashed out of the room. "What an idiot." Talk about an embarrassing moment for the both of them.

* * *

"I can't believe I called her that in front of them…" Natsuki grumbled to herself, still mortified. They didn't need ice, but it was a convenient escape route. She went to get some anyways, shuffling her socked feet down the gaudy carpet and labyrinthine maze of rooms.

Someone familiar then entered her line of sight. Natsuki called out, "Hey! Bro!"

The lanky teen ahead of her turned around. "Do I know you?"

"Are you serious, Shuu?"

"Oh!" Shuuichi blinked dumbly. "It's you, bro. Sorry, I didn't recognize you with your hair down. It looks…"

"Good?"

"Weird."

"Thanks, man," Natsuki said sarcastically. "What're you doing out here anyway?"

"Same as you. Getting some ice," he answered, holding up the bucket as proof.

"Y'sure you're not trying to sneak into Hazuki's room?"

"What kind of man do you think I am?"

"I don't think you're a _man_ at all."

"Ouch. That hurts."

"I'm just giving you a hard time. Lighten up."

The two made their way to the ice machine at the end of the hall, but something was strange. Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "You look like you want to ask me something," she noted at his imploring expression and unsure body language.

"Um, yeah…" Shuuichi shifted his weight back and forth. "I was hoping you could give me some advice."

"On what?"

"On… y'know…" Shuuichi started, making weird hand gestures. It reminded Natsuki of something Kumiko would do. Maybe after being friends for so long, their mannerisms and awkwardness had started to influence each other. He finally finished, "How to… please a lady."

"What are you _talking_ about?"

"How to score. How to round the bases. How to strike," Shuuichi rattled off a list of sports-related euphemisms. He clapped his hands together, stating plainly, "Teach me how to get laid, senpai!" (Seems like all the anime had rubbed off on him too.)

"What the hell?!" Natsuki cringed. "Ugh. Ew. No. First of all… You're seriously asking _me_ for advice on this? I mean, we don't even have the same, er, equipment."

"I don't mean that! I mean getting a girl to want to… uh…"

"Second of all," Natsuki continued, interrupting, "you've been with Hazuki for like, a month, right? And you're already wanting to jump in her pants?!"

"Hey!" Shuuichi barked back, offended. "You were the one bragging about banging _your_ girl—"

"That's totally different," Natsuki defended herself. "We've known each other longer, plus we… wait, I don't have to explain myself to you." She placed her hand to her forehead, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Point is, that's the last thing you need to be thinking, unless _she_ brings it up first. You better not be getting any funny ideas when you're alone with her."

"Seriously, I'm not that kinda guy! I wouldn't force her into anything… Sheesh, forget I asked."

Natsuki tried to quell the unusual surge of overprotective feelings at the thought of Hazuki in that type of situation. "Sorry. You're right. I know you wouldn't do that, man."

"Thank you."

"But you way you asked was really creepy."

Shuuichi huffed, crossing his arms. "Well, my bad. I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask." The grumbling continued, "It's just that the guys were asking me for, y'know, _details_ , and I didn't have much to give 'em…"

"You don't need to give those idiots anything," Natsuki snapped. "Hazuki's a sweet girl. You better not be talking about her like that, or making her uncomfortable, or I'm gonna…"

"Okay, okay, calm down!"

Natsuki did not calm down.

In fact, she punched him in the gut.

"What an idiot," Natsuki grumbled, turning on her heel and speed-walking back to her room, leaving Shuuichi to wheeze back his breath.

Maybe she had overreacted a bit.

She could always apologize later.

Back at room 1042, Natsuki aggressively fished the key out of her pocket. The door to the room across from theirs opened, catching her attention.

Funnily enough, it was Hazuki. "Hey, kid," Natsuki greeted pleasantly, now calmed down by the sight of a cute girl.

"Oh, hey!" Hazuki greeted back, looking like she needed to take a moment to recognize the girl in front of her. "I've never seen you with your hair down before…" she started stammering a bit, which Natsuki found adorable. "It looks…"

"Weird?"

"Good." A bit of pink dusted Hazuki's cheeks as she fidgeted with the bottom of her oversized yellow pajama shirt. There was an odd design of a cat eating noodles on it. "What are you doing?"

"I got some ice," Natsuki answered, holding up the bucket. The cold slosh of half-melted cubes in the container made her realize that she had forgotten her original mission. "Er, I meant to. What about you?"

"I wanted a snack. Do you know where the vending machines are?"

"Thattaway," Natsuki pointed with her thumb the direction she came from. No doubt Hazuki would run into her dumb boyfriend on the way there. She wondered if he would tell her about the punch. Either way, it didn't matter. "I'll see ya tomorrow morning. I know you've been hyped up about this, but try and get some sleep, okay?

"Okay," Hazuki nodded in affirmation, taking her elder's advice. "I sure will!"

"Oh, and Hazuki?"

"Yeah?"

Natsuki flashed her a particularly charming smile. "The hair clips you always wear suit you and all, but I think you look way cuter without 'em."

"O-oh. Thank you…" The light pink previously on her cheeks turned into a full blush. "Good night!" she called out, dashing off.

"Night."

* * *

"Who were you talking to out there, Natsuki?" Yuuko asked at her girlfriend's reappearance.

"Oh, it was Hazuki. She and the squirt are in the room across from us," Natsuki answered, fondly chuckling. "She's so cute. She's still acting all nervous around me. I can't help but tease her a bit."

Yuuko deeply frowned—first from jealous indignation at Natsuki calling another girl 'cute,' but then the gears in her mind began turning, the dots connected, and her expression contorted into a furious understanding. "She's the one with the crush on you, isn't she?!"

Natsuki's expression had a simple meaning: 'oh shit.' She hadn't even been back for two minutes, and had already managed to put her foot in her mouth. "Uhh… well… I never said anything about that…"

"I seem to recall," Yuuko raised herself from the bed, "you trying to get a rise out of me by saying another girl had a crush on you. Is it her?"

"Uh, well, it's only a theory…"

"Don't think I forgot about you kissing her in the same day we got together!"

"I told you, that didn't mean anything! She needed my help—it was—"

"Who kisses a girl when you like another one?!"

"Yeah, well, who kisses a girl at a party and then starts ignoring her for a month?!"

"You, apparently, you dumbass!"

Kumiko and Reina had the awkward misfortune of witnessing this scene unfold in front of them.

("Do you think we should say anything?" Kumiko whispered to Reina.

"Just stay quiet. I think they've forgotten we're here," Reina replied, still playing with Kumiko's hair. "And don't make any sudden movements. That's how they hunt.")

The bickering couple continued, indeed oblivious to their audience.

"I told you that you better not be flirting with any girls!" Yuuko growled, getting up into Natsuki's face.

Natsuki was not backing down. "I'm not flirting!"

"You better not be giving her any ideas!"

"I'm not! Why would I?" Natsuki snapped, before having a devilishly brilliant idea. "I mean, unless you don't mind sharing. There's plenty of me to go around, after all—ow, ow, ow! Hey!"

Yuuko kept swatting and punching her—light enough not to hurt, but hard enough to prove a point—forcing Natsuki up against the wall. "You know very well that I don't intend to share!"

("Hey, that sounds familiar," Kumiko commented.

"Shut up," said Reina.)

"I was just joking!" Natsuki yelped, wincing at the pummeling.

"It wasn't funny," Yuuko said with another swat. The liquid in the ice bucket Natsuki was still holding fueled more rage, "And what the hell, you didn't even get ice!"

"I got distracted!"

"By Hazuki, huh?!"

("Do these two even like each other?" Reina asked.

"That's a good question," Kumiko noted.)

"This is domestic violence!" Natsuki continued trying to escape, considering throwing the ice bucket elsewhere and making a break for it.

"This is tough love!"

Aha, an opening! "Love, huh?"

("Ah, there it is.")

"I'd love to kick your ass!"

("Ah, never mind."

"This is kind of entertaining.")

"You're so infuriating!" Yuuko continued her dramatic tirade. "You're sleeping on the floor tonight!"

Natsuki had already dropped to the floor, just as dramatically. "Have mercy, princess!"

Suddenly, the phone on the nightstand rang, startling them all.

Reina crawled over to answer it, since Kumiko had phone-answering anxieties. "Hello?" she asked. Some loud, but unintelligible muttering were heard from the receiver. "Our apologies," Reina politely responded, nodding even though they couldn't see. "I'll let them know."

"What was that about?" Yuuko asked when Reina hung up.

"It was a noise complaint," Reina stated smugly. "You two need to keep it down."

* * *

It had gotten late. Their room was now dark, the only noises being the low humming of the air conditioner and some light snoring. Two of the girls were not yet asleep, however.

"Yuuko?" Natsuki rolled over and asked in a hushed whisper near her ear, hoping that her voice would not travel to Kumiko and Reina's side of the room. "You awake?"

"No," Yuuko muttered into the pillow.

"C'mon, don't be like that," Natsuki said, pulling her girlfriend closer, hugging her from behind. Yuuko allowed it. "Don't be mad. I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to make you jealous."

"I wasn't jealous," Yuuko replied. Natsuki could tell she was lying. "And I'm sorry too. About all the punching."

"S'alright. It's not like it hurt or anything," Natsuki lightly laughed. "But seriously, don't worry. If Hazuki told me she liked me, or asked me out—or if any girl did, for that matter—I'd turn her down. I'm already taken." Finding one of Yuuko's hands, she interlaced their fingers together. "Cause, y'know… it was a lot of trouble finally getting together with you, so like heck if I'm gonna give that up."

"Good to know I'm a lot of trouble," Yuuko huffed.

"I didn't mean it like that… It was worth it. Every moment."

Yuuko rolled over onto her back, looking up at Natsuki with an unimpressed glance. "You're such a cornball."

"Only for you," Natsuki quipped back. One sentiment felt stuck in her throat, though. "Yuuko, I…" she began. The girl beneath her looked up imploringly, curious as to what she was about to say. It was a familiar phrase that they had shared before, although unbeknownst to her, and were too embarrassed to be forthright about it. "…I hope we do good tomorrow."

"…Me too," Yuuko said after a pause, a tinge of disappointment. "Good night, Natsuki."

"G'night, bunny."

"Auugh, don't call me that," Yuuko rolled back over, hiding her face under the covers. "It's too cheesy."

"Too bad. I know you like it."

"Shut up and go to sleep."

"Yes, princess," Natsuki sleepily replied before snuggling closer.

They had a long day ahead of them.


End file.
